Everlasting Coda
by ArchangelUK
Summary: The purpose of the Eva pilots is to defeat the Angels, that is their priority above all else. So when Shinji's actions in battle disregard that seemingly unwaivable rule to save Rei & Asuka that would be considered wrong... wouldn't it?
1. The Ties That Bind

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

**_Timelining: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) fanfic however things are more or less the same up to Genesis 0:7. These events are set somewhere between Episode 14 and the beginning of Episode 17 (Genesis 0:9); alas I cannot be more precise than that at this time. All you need know is that the Evangelions have just fought an Angel not seen in the series and won - just..._**

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. Why do people keep asking me dumb questions like this? I'm just a student, like I own anything!_

******[Arc 1: A Change of Perspective]**

**Part 1: The Ties That Bind**

_"The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."  
~ Matthew 13:39 ~_

******_[Dicipline]_**

"Ikari. You look even more troubled than usual." Kozo Fuyutski said aloud as he entered his fellow Commander's office, Gendo Ikari did not budge from his customary position of leaning on his hands and elbows. Fuyutski continued to walk over to the window to look down onto one of the Eva catapults where new circuits and route channels were being installed. A quick glance behind him showed that Gendo's face showed a mixture of fear, hatred and anger though only Fuyutski would have been aware of such changes for they were so small and he knew Gendo so well.

"I have just finished my disciplinary talk with the pilot of Unit One." Commander Ikari announced, "It took some time to... relay my feelings towards his actions."

"So you chewed him out good."

"On the contrary I gave him some advice."

"I doubt that somehow." Fuyutski did not approve of the way the Commander treated his son, knowing his mother Yui so well. He knew it would have broken her heart to see the strain between Shinji and her husband.

"He is my son, he should learn from his mistakes." The older man had to stop himself from scoffing.

"He won't take any notice of you Ikari, not anymore."

"I am his father." Commander Ikari separated his hands and adjusted his glasses, just pushing them slightly further up his nose. The lenses shimmered in the light from the numerous small bulbs dotted around the ceiling and floor. He appeared to be brooding over something; something Fuyutski knew all to well.

"You aren't worried about Shinji are you Gendo? You're worried about the implifications for Rei and that's precisely why he won't take any notice of you. You have pushed him too far, hoping he would push back."

"He needs to learn strength."

"He needs a family."

"That is what Major Katsuragi is for."

"She was here as well?"

"Yes she was." Commander Ikari swivelled in his large chair to face his fellow Commander, "She understood my reasons and happened to agree with me, unlike you it seems. His weakness could have cost us dearly today; he will be receiving further disciplinary action from the Major and myself at a later date. His assignment status is also under review by the Committee."

"I see." Fuyutski sighed, "All you are teaching him Gendo is that he is alone, one day he will take no more and push back. When he does, and it is a when for he keeps so much inside more than a grown man could possibly contain, he might become more powerful than you can cope with. Whether he snaps before he pushes back or not will decide this."

"You seem very opinionated today Kozo Fuyutski."

"You are worried that Rei's bond to him will exceed that bond from her to you." Gendo's eyes narrowed, a sign that Kozo knew meant he had hit the nail on the head.

"You came to see me for some reason other than lecturing me Proffessor, I suggest you tell me your news."

"Repairs to Eva Unit One are on schedule, the strengthening of armour plate 18 is almost completed and Dr Akagi requests a meeting with you to discuss Unit Zero's enhancements and the situation regarding the MAGI at your convenience."

"I will go and see her now. Let me know on the com if there is any change in the repair status of Eva 01." Commander Ikari got up and left the office, Fuyutski could only shake his head as he left.

"You are still too concerned with protecting her and keeping her for yourself. I know these deceptions of your son are necessary Ikari, but that doesn't mean you have to enjoy them..."

******_[Issues]_**

"You know something First Child?" Asuka Langley Sohryu and pilot of the Eva Unit 02 said loudly, "One of these days Shinji is going to learn that I'm always right." She didn't expect a reaction from Rei, although it would be nice to get one once in a while. Rei continued to walk, hands clasped in front of her seemingly blissfully unaware of Asuka's presence and if there was one thing that annoyed Asuka is was people not acknowledging her existence. That after all was her raison d'etre, her reason to be, her role in life - why she piloted an Eva. She growled and continued talking, "I told him to use the rifle, but oh no he had to use the Progressive Knife. Eva 01 gets impaled on the Angel's tendril and it's going to be out of action for some time, jeez I've never seen Misato and Commander Ikari so steamed!"

"He was successful." Was all Rei said, her gaze never shifting from the end of the corridor, Asuka beamed.

"My word the most serene girl in the world speaks." Asuka laughed, yet Rei's face was still emotionless - her immovable, unwavering mask. Both were still wearing their plug suits, Asuka scratched her left forearm. "I sooo need a shower. The way these things cling to you it gets so sweaty and then this latexy stuff starts to itch. Yeah, that's right a long.... long shower."

"Water is agreeable." Rei nodded, not missing a stride. "And Shinji was successful."

"Huh?"

"Shinji's method may have caused damage to Unit 01-"

"A lot of damage!" Asuka interrupted,

"- And even to him, but the end result is that the Angel was defeated. It is our purpose to defeat the Angels. Shinji did just that."

"Yeah but he's not supposed to get his Eva skewered now is he? I mean that's just stupid."

"In the end all that matters is that we were successful. Nothing else means anything." Rei's voice was pure monotone; there was no warmth in her words. No emotion. She seemed to speak in statements never giving an opinion on what she was saying - just saying it.

"Now listen here Wonder girl..."

"I will change and see you in the debriefing room at the appointed time." Rei suddenly did a ninety-degree turn to the right and disappeared into a changing cubicle never breaking stride or stance walking at exactly the same speed. Asuka raised an arm, pointing her index finger outwards at Rei as though about to say something but she was gone, the door closing silently behind her. Asuka's eyes narrowed and went off to find another cubicle. Eventually she found one nestling in a secluded corridor of the NERV complex, why they had not thought to have a large changing room in specific part of the base Asuka wasn't sure but it would be a lot easier than having to walk all over the place to find the individual rooms and hope one was available. Of course there was one that she and Rei used before the 'remodelling work' to the interior of the base, rooms were changed and more offices and labs were created out of the old offices, labs AND changing facilities. Their plug suits were now kept with the Eva's in a separate part of the cage. It seemed rather daft to move something that was essential as she saw it, to the pilots of the Evangelions.

The shower water was hot and wonderfully refreshing, soothing out numerous aches and pains from her muscles. She sighed contentedly and applied an extremely generous amount of shampoo to her silky smooth hair. The previous battle had been long, longer than anyone had expected. Asuka frowned remembering when her Eva had it's external power cable sliced, her battery had run flat not long afterwards and it had been up to Shinji to rescue her - again. She scowled, then wondered why Rei had not mentioned that fact, if it had been the other way around Asuka would have mentioned it at least five times by now. She stopped lathering her hair and pursed her lips together, why did thinking of Rei make her feel so insecure, so negative about herself? She tried to concentrate on remembering the battle; she remembered the howl of pain and determination as the tendril pierced Unit 01. Where had she been when that happened? Eva 02 was slumped against the remains of a building but Unit 01 was... right in front of her. She gasped, inadvertently letting some soap suds get into her mouth, which she coughed and spat out. The tendril had been meant for her, in fact judging by the position her Eva was and where Shinji's Eva was impaled if it had connected with her. She swallowed; it would have hit her entry plug dead on.

She changed, rather disturbed by her realisation and made her way swiftly to the debriefing room.

She arrived to find Rei already there, not in her school uniform as usual but a cream coloured blouse and pale blue trousers. She blinked at the transformation and wondered what had brought it about, this train of thought was derailed by Misato's entrance to the room. She sat down on the largest and most grandiose chair and beckoned the two Eva pilots to do the same on the nearby smaller pieces of furniture. Misato closed her eyes and brought her palms together in front of her, the fingers opening to their full span. Her chin nestled in the crook between her thumbs and index fingers while her elbows rested on the dark polished table.

"Now we're all here it's best we begin swiftly." Major Katsuragi began, obviously keen to get on with business.

"Where is Shinji?" The voice was Rei's surprising both Misato and Asuka. Rei's eyes seemed to hold a vague glimmer of concern, something that Asuka couldn't help staring at. She was right. Shinji was not there. He was never late, the only times he was late was when he had run away and then obviously he hadn't shown up at all.

"Shinji will not be present at this meeting."

"Why?" Asuka asked in a slightly whining voice, Misato didn't answer. "Where is he Misato?"

"Busy."

"I do not believe you." Asuka looked at Rei as though she had grown an extra head, she was questioning Misato's statement - accusing her of lying. She didn't believe her either, and she could have sworn Rei had glanced over at her to see her reaction. But to actually accuse Misato of lying... This was REI we were talking about here.

"Neither do I." Asuka suddenly announced, not realising what she was saying until she had actually spoken the words. She looked over at Rei and nodded at her, Misato flexed her hands against each other, the fingertips touching their opposites.

"That is all you need know." Misato said, sidestepping the distrust. "The meeting is to do with the two of you... and... him."

"Well that's a shock." Asuka snorted, "We after all being the only three Eva pilots."

"That's not what I meant." Misato said. It was clear from the look on her face that she was not looking forward to this conversation, whatever it was. "You might have wondered why it was exactly that the Commander Ikari and I dressed him down today." Misato got up from the chair and began to pace, she flicked a strand of hair away from her face with a hand and grimaced. She paused and looked over at the two Eva pilots who exchanged glances with each other, Misato sighed. "The reason he was disciplined was because he got his priorities wrong."

"He got his priorities wrong? Ha! I knew it, it's because he should have used the rifle like I told him to isn't it." Asuka smiled smugly, "So the awe inspiring Third Child got it wrong - big deal."

"No. Not exactly."

"What do you mean?" Asuka leant forward to the jug of water and poured a glass, she poured some for Rei and Misato as well. Whether or not the pilot of Eva 00 would drink it didn't matter, Misato walked around to her glass and picked it up, downing the liquid in one. Rei was eying up the contents of her glass but did not take it, Asuka looked at the concerned face of her guardian. "It's not about the rifle is it?"

"No."

"Then what is it about?"

"As I said - priorities." Misato was beginning to wish she had one of her beers with her; Rei looked at her impassively and yet still managed to convey some kind of distrust. She seemed to know where Misato was going with this 'meeting', Asuka was beginning to look impatient.

"Just give us a straight answer Misato."

"It is to do with Shinji's actions in the battle today, more specifically his responsibilities as an Eva pilot." Misato walked over to the window and pulled down a segment of the horizontal blinds. The chink of light exposed a number of engineers boarding one of the NERV subway trains to the EVA chambers, presumably to begin repairs to Unit 01. Another row of windows opposite her revealed the Commander in deep thought studying some kind of schematic; he barked an order down the intercom and looked over for a second in Misato's direction. Not that he could see her of course.

"What is the main responsibility of the Eva pilot?"

"To defeat the Angels and protect Mankind from a possible Third Impact." Rei said on cue, the metal blind returned to its previous position with a clink.

"Precisely."

"Hellooooo?" Asuka waved a hand at the Major, "That's what we did. That's what we do."

"Shinji did not follow that responsibility today."

"Excuse me? He knifed the Angel, Angel go boom, Tokyo-3 no go bye-bye." Asuka snarled. It was one thing for her to belittle Shinji that after all was her. It was another for Misato of all people to accuse him of not fulfilling his duty as a pilot when he had clearly just saved the day! Despite her shirgrin at not being the hero of the hour she wouldn't stand for it!

"His priority out there today may have started with killing the Angel, but it shifted half way through the battle." That beer was looking better all the time.

"What to?" Asuka asked puzzled, Rei looked down at the glass again and wrapped a hand around it, just holding it, not raising it from the table. The major paused, not quite sure how to phrase it, thankfully for her Rei answered.

"It changed to protecting us."

"What?!" Asuka screamed, "You chewed him out because he saved me?"

"He protected both of us." Rei said, lifting the glass cautiously, as though it might bite her if she raised it too fast.

"Did I miss something?" Asuka asked her, "When did he save you First Child?"

"You weren't conscious for the whole of the fight after Unit 02 was neutralised."

"I... wasn't?" She saw no reason for Rei to lie, and Misato wasn't correcting her. "Then what happened to you?"

Rei lowered the glass back down onto the table, and without saying anything got up and left the debriefing room.

"Rei?" Asuka called out after her, the blue haired girl paused in her stride but only for a second. Asuka rarely called her by her name except when issuing or assigning orders in the Eva. The door swung to and Rei was gone for the second time that afternoon. "What the-" Asuka began, but Misato pulled a chip out of her pocket and placed it on the table in front of her.

"Watch it." Was all she said, and then she left as well.

******_[Practical Impracticalities]_**

The music from the piano was heavenly.

Rei couldn't remember anyone ever saying to her about a piano in the social area, being a bar and impractical for her she avoided it. After all it did not accomplish anything that would help her and her Evangelion unit, nor did it or would it help her physically. She could cope without it therefore she need not rely upon it, that was the way she saw things. It was purely by chance that she had been walking past the door when she had noticed the sound coming from inside. Baring in mind the majority of NERV personnel had left to go home, and that the sign clearly read 'Closed' she had decided to investigate. The bar was supposed to be empty - it clearly was not. Rei tentatively moved forward, wondering who could be making such marvellous music. It was a strange piece, compellingly soft yet with an amazing power behind it that seemed to contradict the melody. Yet the piece was perfect, Rei closed her eyes and allowed herself to take in fully the wondrousness of it all. She could see a field of green grass, a clear blue sky and a crystal clear lake - she had never seen this place before and yet she could make out every texture, every smell like she was really there.

The birds flew in the sky, a light breeze blowed through her hair making it bob and bounce. Everything here was at peace. Then the music began to get more deep and booming, flats and low notes giving a sense of power, of the sky clouding over and growing dark and yet Rei still felt at peace for the underlying refrain remained. It seemed so sad when once before it was happy, whoever it was that was playing they seemed to portrait a lot of warmth and yet a lot of sadness and pain. It was all most confusing to her.

  
Suddenly the piece began to slow down, getting quieter and quieter. More subdued and gentle notes were played, sharps mixed in with the occasional flat to add a dramatic tinge to it. The clouds cleared to show it was now night, the full moon and the stars lighting up the sky, fireflies danced in the moonbeams. Rei opened her eyes finding herself back in the bar and moved forward again, seeking out the piano player whoever it was. She needed to know. Maybe it was Dr Akagi, it made sense, she was a doctor - quite intelligent in human terms. Naturally someone that smart could play an instrument. She was surprised however as the last few magical bars faded away to be looking at the back of a fourteen-year-old boy in a white shirt and a somewhat wet mop of brown hair.

Shinji.

It appeared Shinji had not long come out of the shower, or it had been raining outside. The music finally finished and she actually sighed in disappointment, she'd never heard such beautiful music. Speaking of music, where was the music? Rei looked at the stand to see there was none, for such a piece to be played from memory was quite a feat baring in mind how complex it was. There were so many notes and changes in speed even she probably could not have performed it, not that she actually knew how to play the piano but then it wasn't necessary to her life. Or was it?

Rei doubted that anyone knew Shinji could play the piano, not even his father Commander Ikari. She knew he played one other instrument though she was so caught up with the music still she couldn't remember it's name. It certainly wasn't this one. Rei opened her mouth to speak but found she didn't know what to say as the Third Child stood up from the piano stool. Shinji gathered his things and walked out of the room by the opposite entrance that Rei had entered, apparently not noticing her. She stepped forward and looked at the piano keyboard, then slowly she closed the lid, letting her hand brush against the smooth mahogany wood. Shinji always seemed... emotional to her, to everyone, and yet he never seemed to let those emotions out. He kept everything in, restricting his feelings, his anger, his pain. Yet here in this room she had just born witness to him perform a piece of music that was simply breathtaking - she didn't know what to make of it.

Alas the questions that now plagued her would have to wait until tomorrow, or whenever she next saw him so she left for home also.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**ArchangelUK 0:o)**


	2. Someone To Watch Over Me

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

**_A/N: Apologies to those who are uncomfortable with Rei being a bit OOC, however up to this current time in the series Rei has been getting more open anyway. Besides after the events of the day before she herself isn't too comfortable either... _**

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However... I do own various bits of Angel cores that make fantastic paperweights, only £ 5.99 + p&p! Act now and get "Rei Ayanami's Good Housekeeping Guide" as a special introductory bonus ABSOLUTELY FREE!_

**Part 2: Someone To Watch Over Me**

_"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."  
~ Matthew 16:27-28 ~_

******_[Insomnia]_**

Rei could not sleep.

As much as she tried to relax she found she could not, for the music repeated over and over in her brain not that it was the cause of her insomnia. The music on it's own would have soothed her into a restful slumber, but her concern about the player of the composition in question was overriding its calming influence. She had never seen Shinji in that light before, it made her, well, she didn't know the sensation she was feeling. Her stomach seemed to be doing cartwheels inside her, as the more she thought about the possible questions to ask him the more she wanted to ask them now and at the same time the more she was filled with trepidation. She looked upwards at the moon, which was partially covered by cloud and sighed, her breath producing clouds of condensation in the draughty old apartment.

"Why do I seek to ask these questions of him, and yet seek not to as well? Is this what is to be... afraid?"

The moon didn't answer and was completely covered by a bank of dark clouds.

******_[Recorded Memories]_**

Back at the apartment Asuka shared with Shinji and Misato, the red haired girl chewed her lip thoughtfully. Examining the data chip that Misato had given her in the palm of her left hand, what could possibly have gone on that would cause wonder girl to simply walk out of the debriefing room rather than hear about it again? Part of her was unnerved by what the chip could contain, she was smart enough to realise it was more than likely a compilation of data streams from the three Evangelions and any NERV exterior surveillance cameras that had been active within that area. Misato was busy working a late shift probably supervising the immediate repairs to Unit 01, which she assumed to be the damage visible to her at the time. There was a clunk outside, signalling Shinji's return. Asuka got up and went to check on him, but by the time she opened the sliding door of her room all she got to see was the closing of his. Asuka's teeth ground against each other in anger, how dare he simply ignore her! The least he could have done was said, hello or goodnight... or BOTH. But then again, she was concerned about him. Her anger dissipated when she thought about how he had saved her from the Angel, what was on that chip? Without further delay she let Shinji do whatever it was he was doing and closed her door. Slamming the chip into the data player and making sure to place her headphones in the socket.

DATA TRANSMISSION: CODED SOURCES

A15-6# Alpha  
C-14# Gamma  
E12/2-0  
EVANGELION UNIT 00 - Cam 6, 8, 10  
D15-6# Pi  
G-14# Omega  
S12/6-0  
EVANGELION UNIT 01 - Cam 3, 6, 8, 10  
A23-2# Sigma  
X-41# Beta  
E12/2-9  
EVANGELION UNIT 02 - Cam 1, 8, 10

STREAM AUDIO/VISUAL - SCRAMBLER CODE 156  
CODEX 8/4.2

TRANSMISSION BEGINS 09:41:06

The Angel whirled around at the sound of the Evas arriving, subtlety wasn't a strong point of the Evangelions but then again the same could be said for the Angels. Immediately it began to systematically annihilate any building it came into contact with, Asuka grimaced. "Man! What's this one's problem?"

"It's just levelling everything!" Shinji's image appeared on the lower left hand side of her cockpit. It was joined a millisecond later by Rei's, the First Child spoke.

"Then I suggest we discourage it from doing so." Unit Zero darted forward and tackled the Angel knocking it to the floor, "Quickly!" Rei exclaimed, "Use the knife!"

"Too late!" Shinji cried as the Angel kicked itself back to a vertical base and threw Unit 00 and Rei at Asuka.

"Arghh!" Unit 02 was caught square in the chest by it's prototype counterpart and both crumpled to the ground. Asuka's Eva was face down in a street, with Rei's Evangelion flopped across it, not that Asuka could see much but she was aware of one thing - her external power cable was gone.

"Get off of me you idiot I can't see!"

"My Unit is damaged." Rei stated, "I am trying to move it."

"Well mine's not much better. Come on I've only got five minutes of power left."

Shinji meanwhile was dealing with the Angel on his lonesome; a series of tendrils snaked out of the yellow and orange creature and attached themselves to Unit 01's ankles. Before Shinji even knew what was happening Eva 01 was on it's back and being hit backwards and forwards by the Angel. Shinji thrust his hand forward and in response the Angel received a fierce punch knocking it off of it's feet for a second time. Time was running out - at least for Unit 02. Asuka managed to prise Rei off of her and get up, grabbing her fallen rifle.

"No one hurts my baby!" Asuka snarled and let loose a stream of tracer, the Angel athletically back flipped to avoid it. Landing back on it's 'feet', it swung a tendril outwards and sliced through the rifle barrel, the front portion falling to the street below with a clunk. Asuka looked blankly and the truncated gun and then back at the Angel which seemed to smile at her - whatever kind of creature this was, it was one of the most humanoid angels yet. It had a face, and it was leering at her.

"Forgetting someone?" The Angel spun around to be hit square in the chest by a large steel girder held jointly by Unit 01 and 00. Shinji kicked the Angel backwards and drew his knife, but a tendril flicked it away to bury itself in the street. All three Evas grabbed hold of the Angel, trying to pin it down but it was strong - very strong. With one giant effort the Angel shoved all three units away, throwing Asuka and her Eva into a tall building, which collapsed around it. The impact smashed Asuka's head back into the cockpit wall and she was knocked unconscious, warning lights sounded and the cockpit feed cut out as her battery ran flat.

Now came the bit Asuka had not seen, Rei's unit got up and tried to stab the Angel with it's Progressive Knife. The knife slashed the Angel's chest but did not go near enough to the 'eye' to do any real harm. Shinji and his Eva got back to their feet, but now he had lost his power supply as well. Shinji was gasping in pain, an external shot revealed that something on Eva 01 had exploded or shorted out as hydraulic fluid was leaking from it's right knee. A large purple hand clamped around it to try and stem the flow but it wouldn't be long before that leg ceased up. Eva Zero slammed itself into the Angel again, but again the Angel showed it's amazing strength and athleticism to spin Rei into the other side of the building Asuka was slumped against. The prototype tried to get up but was slapped back down by the Angel time and time again; Shinji jumped on it's back and was instantly flicked over to smash into an old cafe. The data feed from Unit Zero began to get garbled, sparks were flying in the cockpit and a burst of telemetry data showed Rei was fighting to keep her sync ratio even in the mid 20% range. The Angel seemed to sense her trouble and picked the Evangelion up again, throwing it onto the remains of the park. Unit 01 had managed to retrieve it's knife.

"Shinji! Rei! Get up!" Misato's voice cut through the recording. 

All three Eva's were down, an infrared camera showed Asuka in Unit Two begin to stir, but this giant Angel was not done with Rei yet. It reached down and sliced through the bottom of a building with it's tendrils, it then picked up the building. It actually picked up a 100 story building and held it above it's head, bits of glass and concrete began to rain down on the roads below but the skyscraper kept it's shape, the Angel looked down at Unit Zero. Inside it Rei was desperately trying to get the Eva to move but the electronics were once again giving problems with power conversion and her harmonics was down another 5%.

Asuka pursed her lips together, Rei looked scared, she couldn't believe it. The Angel made to throw the building onto Rei, her sync ratio kicked up to 37% with the added danger but still she couldn't move. Where was Shinji?

"Ikari!" Rei cried out as the Angel made to hurl the tower. Suddenly a purple blur dived towards the camera knocking the Angel backwards away from Unit Zero. The Angel stumbled and dropped the tower on top of itself, inside of the Prototype Unit Rei gasped and groaned. Somehow she still had her external lead in place.

"Rei? Rei are you okay?" Major Katsuragi's concerned voice once again came out of the speakers; Rei could only nod but appeared to be in some degree of pain. "Shinji?" The camera switched to the inside of Unit 01 but there wasn't much of a picture, "Shinji are you okay?" There was a long pause, far too long for Asuka's liking. A clock in the bottom left hand corner had appeared showing that Unit 01 had just less than two minutes of operation time left.

"No..." Came a very weak reply.

Before Misato could inquire further the Angel partly rose out of the ruins and lashed out a tendril in Unit 00's direction. The core was visible, the Angel's life source, all Shinji had to do was stab it with the Progressive Knife - he was right next to it. Instead Eva 01 dived and sliced into the tendril before it hit Rei and the virtually immobile Eva 00. Asuka froze the image. That was it, what Shinji was punished for, he had had the chance to kill the Angel there and then but he chose to prevent Rei from any further harm. She restarted the recording and Eva 01 rolled into an offensive position, there was less than a minute to go now for the battery on top of Unit 01's back. 

This was when Asuka had begun to stir; she knew where she was now.

The Angel howled in apparent pain, clutching the stump of it's severed tentacle. It lashed out at Shinji knocking him to the floor once more, the knife scuttering away from his grasp and it began to march towards Asuka's Eva.

"Shinji! Get it!" That was Asuka's voice, she was definitely conscious now, her voice carried by the backup radio system that did not rely upon the Eva's power supply. The Angel lashed out another tendril at the red bio-machine but Shinji stepped in front and then it pierced his Eva's mid section. The Angel spun around so now Unit 02 was facing it's back, Shinji reached down to the ground, and managed to pick up his rifle. The Angel in return impaled the Eva with it's remaining two tendrils and held it aloft, the scene switched to a camera in Shinji's cockpit that was positioned behind him as he pointed the rifle at the Angel. There was no audio feed from this part of the video but Asuka remembered all too well. 

"Come on Shinji, SHOOT IT ALREADY!"

"I can't..." From this viewpoint it was pretty clear why. Baring in mind the Angel's obvious athleticism it might well despite the very small distance, actually be able to avoid the volley and if it did it would have gone smack bang into Asuka. Shinji then did something that Asuka had at the time thought was insane, now with this new information she simply thought it was incredible. With less than twelve seconds left Shinji grabbed the mass of tentacles and pulled himself further and further onto them, so he was almost in reach.

_Eight seconds..._

Rei managed to retrieve her knife and with a huge effort tossed it to Shinji.

_Five seconds..._

The Progressive Knife sailed through the air and was caught by Unit 01.

_Three seconds..._

With one last heave Shinji pulled his Eva into reach of the main body of the Angel and with a thunderous thrust buried the knife into the creature's core.

_One second..._

The Angel collapsed backwards, pulling Eva 01 on top of it and after a few seconds exploded. Sometime after this Shinji's friend Kensuke Aida would compare this involuntary action to an old Pre-Second Impact soldier throwing himself on top of a grenade to save his fellows. The result was much the same as Evangelion Unit 01 took the full blast of the Angel's detonation, the only structural damage was done to a couple of buildings but the scale was very small. Shinji's Eva seemed to take everything.

That's where the recording stopped.

TRANSMISSION ENDS

Asuka looked blankly at the two words on the screen not overly sure what to do. Part of her wanted to check on Shinji, another part needed something to drink rather urgently as her mouth was dry. Part of her was angry with Misato and Commander Ikari for treating Shinji so bad, another part angry with Rei for again showing that seemingly invisible bond between her and the pilot of Unit 01. She was angry with Shinji for not knifing the Angel when he had the chance, for not shooting the Angel when he had the chance, for inadvertently making her watch this stupid recording. She was also angry with herself. To be so easily dismissed by the Angel, not putting up any real offence and end up slumped against a wall made her feel guilty and not worthy of her Evangelion. She was also annoyed, as Shinji had come to her rescue again. She didn't know what to think, which part of her was angrier with which person. She needed to speak to Misato but she wasn't there, she needed to speak to Shinji but by now he was asleep and after the day he had she didn't want to wake him. She needed - as odd and as potentially awkward as it seemed to her - to talk to Rei; wonder girl had a lot of questions coming her way. She'd ring her, but it would be all too easy for her to get angry with Little Miss Perfect and hang up. She knew herself too well.

Asuka sighed; she didn't have Rei's home telephone number anyway. Did she even have a telephone? Did she even have a home? Asuka didn't know much about Rei, but she was sure most of this she knew and the answer to all this was to do with her. Asuka unplugged her headphones from the socket, and, still wearing them plugged them into her SDAT and switched on the tape she had 'borrowed' from Shinji then laid down on her 'bed'. The hard floor she'd gotten used to by now, although if you had offered her a good old-fashioned bed 'bed' as opposed to the Japanese style she would have jumped at the chance. She would have done anything, even kissed Pen-Pen. Her eyes hammered open - where on Earth had that one come from? Asuka cleared her throat and settled back down again after puffing up her pillow and just lay there listening to the melody. Soon she fell asleep.

Behind her, satisfied with Asuka being asleep a pair of violet eyes ceased watching over her and a hand closed the ajar door.

******_[A Most Familiar Morning]_**

The toaster clicked and two slices of the cooked bread emerged, Asuka scowled, she had burnt them again. How Shinji managed to get his toast that delicious golden brown was a mystery, she took a knife and began scraping off the blackened bits. She suddenly remembered that a very annoyed penguin was tapping it's foot behind her, she spun around.

"Oh what is it?" She snapped, Pen-Pen looked downwards at his empty bowl and then back at Asuka. "Alright, I'm sorry here you go." There was a clunk as the bowl was filled; Asuka started scraping the bread again only to be interrupted by an angry honk. She turned around, herself angry and growing increasingly exasperated, "What now?!" Pen-Pen looked at the can of fish that occupied his bowl and again back at Asuka.

"Nu-raaaaaaaa!" The flightless bird glared at her like she had had committed some kind of criminal act.

"Alright! Alright!" Asuka picked up the can, undid it and emptied the contents back into the bowl. Pen-Pen's eyes lit up and he dug into his fish, Asuka was about to resume her scraping when a door opened and Misato entered yawning and scratching her stomach.

"Good morning Asuka."

"Good morning Misato." She replied,

"Good morning Shinji." Misato added as she bumbled over towards the fridge and opened it, sticking her drowsy head right inside.

"Shinji's not up yet." Asuka finished buttering the rounds of toast and placed a slice in front of the Major.

"Oh? That's unlike him."

"Hmm." Asuka sat down in what was traditionally Shinji's seat; there was a hiss as a can was opened.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw!" Misato cried, burping immediately afterwards. "Now that's the way to wake up in the morning." An empty beer can flew through the air and into the dustbin, Asuka sighed and shook her head. She would never understand Misato's reliance on alcohol; it couldn't possibly be any good for her. "Come on Shinji rise and shine we've got work to do today!"

No response came from Shinji's room.

"Shinji?"

"I'll get him." Asuka groaned and marched over to Shinji's room. "Shinji you idiot wake up! Stupid Shinji..." She muttered flinging the door open. "Shinji!" She roared, "Get up now! Huh?" The bed had been slept in, it hadn't been made but there was no sign of the Third Child. On the small wood table there was a note, for a moment Asuka thought Shinji had run away again but the notes simply read 'Gone to School'. Asuka handed the note to Misato who frowned; indeed Shinji's schoolbag was missing, as was his NERV card and SDAT player. His wallet remained however, and his house keys were gone so he obviously intended to return.

"Why go to school now? At this hour?"

"Don't look at me, after yesterday I just hope he hasn't done anything stupid."

"You watched the data chip?" Misato opened her second beer of the morning.

"Yes."

"And?"

"I still don't think Shinji deserved what he got."

"It is important you understand that Shinji's actions were not acceptable."

"And losing me and Rei is?" Misato did not immediately answer; in fact she had finished her third can when she finally spoke.

"You know the risks." Asuka blinked in astonishment.

"I can't believe you still think that..." She slammed her books into her school bag. "I don't know what he was thinking but I'm sure glad he was because if he had done what you and the Commander consider to be 'right' then he'd be the only Eva pilot left this morning!" She paused by the door, fuming, "And then who would have made your damn toast?" She flung the door open, barging past the surprised Kensuke and Touji. "Out of my way jerk wads!"

"Jeez, what's her problem?" Touji asked as Kensuke helped him up, the other boy repositioned his glasses and grimaced.

"I don't know what happened, but I bet Shinji's in the dog house." Touji nodded and they ventured in via the open door, Misato waved at them.

"Good morning Misato!" They chorused, making her giggle as usual.

"Morning boys."

"Is Ikari around?" Touji asked, pushing forward trying to get more individual attention from the gorgeous Miss Katsuragi.

"No Touji, it seems he went to school early this morning."

"Then what was the snake so angry about?" Kensuke asked, jerking a thumb in the direction the furious Asuka went.

"You mean Asuka?"

"That'll be the one." Touji grinned; Misato allowed herself a small smile.

"She's angry with me."

"With you Misato? Why should she be angry with you?" Kenuske folded his arms, Touji snorted.

"I'm sure it's nothing, just Asuka being Asuka again, no justice in it at all." 

"No, and that's the problem." Misato sighed, opening her fourth and final morning beer. "She may just have a point."

******_[Gossips & Secrets]_**

"Where is he?" Asuka demanded, pushing past several older girls to get into the classroom. Hikari looked around at her surprised by her abruptness, she was never like that to her even if she was abrupt to everyone else most of the time.

"Who?"

"Shinji."

"Shinji?"

"Is there an echo in here Hikari? Shinji." Everyone was looking at them, Hikari grabbed Asuka's arm and steered her towards one of the windows away from everyone else.

"You want the gossipers to start saying things?" Hikari asked, knowing full well that rumours were already in circulation about the pilots of all three Evangelions and their relationships with each other. Somehow Asuka hadn't heard about those yet, Shinji had most certainly with Aida and Suzahara as his friends. Rei must know by now as well, but she more than likely did not care, Hikari was trying to drum up some courage to speak to her about Shinji though. More for clarification than anything, as no one really seemed to know what Rei Ayanami felt or thought about anything except that she got on with Shinji more than she did with anyone else and that they seemed to understand each other on a level that just did not seem right... even to them. But it could also be used as information for Asuka should she go off on one again about the blue haired girl. "I haven't seen him in two days."

"You mean he's not here?"

"No." Hikari shook her head, as Touji and Kensuke came in to the classroom also minus Shinji Ikari. Touji dumped his bag under his desk, slumped into his chair and stretched his legs. Hikari found she was staring at him again and blushed; realising Asuka was waving a hand in front of her face she snapped out of it.

"Honestly I don't know what you see in him..."

"Huh?"

"Touji. Everyone knows."

"They do?" Hikari squeaked in terror, "D-Does S-Suzahara..."

"That dumbkopf? Fat chance, everyone but those three know - even wonder girl probably. Touji's almost as stupid as that idiot Shinji."

"Why what's he done now?"

"Various things..." Asuka sighed. "He left early this morning before me or Misato were up, we just found a note saying he had gone to school."

"Well, I saw Rei heading in that direction." She pointed in the direction of the school sick bay, "She looked, well, like she was searching for someone too."

"I'm not surprised."

"Why is there something going on?"

"You just never know with those two." And Asuka ran off down the corridor.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**ArchangelUK 0:o)**


	3. Roses are Blue and Violets Are Too

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

**_A/N: In answer to previous questions, no I have not yet seen Death & Rebirth or End of Evangelion. I own the original TV series on video bar the very first tape containing episodes one and two which I have never seen. Though I am attempting to sort this out... Death & Rebirth appears in the UK as of September 30th._**

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However... I do own a copy of Eva Unit 01 and Yui Ikari's "Guide to Table Manners and Eating Etiquette", covering S2 organs, engines and evil eeeevil Commanders._

**Part 3: Roses are Blue and Violets Are Too**

_"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  
~ Matthew 11:28-30 ~_

******_[Scenario Shifts]_**

In a dark part of NERV, in an even darker room Gendo Ikari sat patiently, elbows on table, head resting on his hands. There was a 'foomph' noise and a large black monolith appeared in front of him, the name SEELE was clearly visible above the very large number '01'. A sign written in the same red lettering saying 'Sound Only' resided below the digits, Ikari did not change his stance despite the arrival.

"What is it Ikari, it is not like you to call on us."

"It is not the committee that I call upon Chairman Keel but you."

"Really?" The monolith was replaced by Keel's appearance as the vision was added to the sound. "What is bothering you?"

"Nothing is bothering me Keel, I merely have a question."

"If you were not concerned with its answer you would have waited until he next time we summoned you." Ikari didn't waiver, "But as you insist what is this question?"

"Would the personal relationships of the Evangelion pilots in any way effect the schedule of SEELE?" 

"Elaborate." The old man demanded.

"What if they were to become... involved."

"Involved?" Keel raised a greying eyebrow, which just appeared above his red and cream visor. "As in an actual relationship of love as opposed to relationships of a loving nature?"

"Correct." Keel looked Gendo up and down; the Commander of NERV had come to him and asked specifically if such a thing could interfere with the scenario. This was odd, Ikari was under suspicion already simply because it was thought he was taking too little interest in the scenario and the schedule.

"Why do you ask?"

"Irrelevant. Would it be an interference?"

"On the contrary Ikari, dependant upon which pilots are involved my answer may well differ." Gendo knew the old man was fishing for more details, but then again as he wasn't entirely sure himself he saw no reason to offer what he saw as the most likely outcome.

"Whichever."

"Very well. In all probability a relationship between First and Third would not be beneficial to the project, though that is not to say it would be a burden or delay it in any particular way. It would be merely more difficult to implement things the closer we get to the designated time when all the Angels have been destroyed. A relationship between Second and Third would be beneficial as it would distract both from that which is going on around them and will make them easier to... manipulate by playing one off against the other."

"However if either situation were to occur there is a possibility of further 'incidents' like the one that took place during the last battle."

"Indeed. Next time they and we may not be as lucky." Gendo did not look happy; his exterior betrayed that very well. "It is unlike you to be concerned with the schedules of SEELE."

"Your schedule is my schedule."

"As it should be." Ikari vanished from the SEELE holograph, and Keel frowned. "Were you listening in?" A new spotlight appeared revealing Ryoji Kaji with an equally intrigued expression.

"Yes I was."

"Find out what is going on over there, what Ikari was really wanting to know."

"You don't think that was the question he wanted answered?"

"Knowing him probably not. If there are some problems amongst the Evangelion pilots I want to know what, why and if it really could effect the schedule."

"This is all very well, but if I don't know what this schedule is about how am I to know if it will be effected?" Kaji pointed out, annoying Keel no end.

"It is not your concern." He barked, "Go and find out what's going on." And the holograph deactivated.

******_[For Her & For Them]_**

_What's wrong with her? What's wrong with me? Curse that idiot Shinji for confusing me like this..._

It didn't take long for her to catch up with Rei. "Hey First Child wait up!" Rei paused and turned around, waiting for Asuka to catch up with her.

"You are running."

"Well spotted wonder girl." Asuka puffed.

"Why?" Asked Rei softly,

"Because I wanted to catch up with you."

"Oh." Rei started to walk off again in the direction of the medical bay, Asuka walked alongside. "You need not have run, I would still have waited for you."

"That's nice to know. What are you doing?"

"I am searching for Ikari."

"Shinji? Me too." Rei looked at her and nodded in understanding.

"Major Katsuragi showed you a recording didn't she?"

"Yes." Asuka lowered her head for a moment; she was surprised to note Rei lowered hers too. "I really need to speak to him about it, he left this morning before we were awake and said he was coming here."

"It is a school day." Rei stated bluntly and stopped outside a door.

"Yes... You're not going to disappear again are you?"

"I am going the same destination as you, I most likely have similar questions for him as well." Rei looked up and for the first time directly at her. "I wish to know why he suffered for us."

"We're his friends." Asuka said on reflex, suddenly thinking of all the times she insulted him and yet he still saved her. Not that she really WANTED saving, the idiot.

"Yes, but I do not understand why he would risk the important chance of destroying an Angel to save me. I am... not important enough." Rei seemed to be more confused than Asuka was which was both comforting and unnerving at the same time. Her mind began to wander down this path for a few seconds what did she really think about Shinji? More to the point what did Rei really think about Shinji? It was rather a difficult subject to talk about, least of all with Rei herself and just why was she so concerned with what Rei was feeling?

"Shinji's that kind of guy I suppose." She mentally kicked herself knowing full well that Rei wouldn't understand what she was talking about.

"That... kind of guy?" Asuka should have bet money on it. She sighed and tried to think of a way of explaining, but all the time there was a little voice in the back of her head going - _Ask her... Ask her..._

"This will be hard for you to understand First Child. I think... he cares about, well, us. I'm not sure to what degree, but I do know that Misato is like a mother to him, like she is to me." Asuka's lip trembled, memories flooding back about her mother she took a deep breath and recomposed herself. "She is the only family he has."

"His father is Commander Ikari. You know this."

"Is he?" Asuka asked softly, "Is he really? How many times do you know of that Shinji has been betrayed by the Commander?" Rei pondered this for a long time, scanning her memory, counting the times after a long while she finally said - 

"Several."

"How many precisely?" Asuka continued, it was unlike Rei not to give a precise answer not that Rei had been behaving much like Rei at all for the last couple of days. After two minutes it became clear to Asuka that Rei being closer to the Commander than she or indeed Shinji was (for whatever reason) knew more than perhaps she or the Commander's own son did about the NERV officer's conduct. Rei looked anxious so she let her off the hook. "Shinji doesn't have much, none of us do. Maybe Shinji thinks of us as his family too, I mean all we really have is each other." She paused, "Man, that sounds sad..." Asuka turned away from Rei for a second, realising that even now what she was saying probably only half Rei understood.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"I now understand something I did not before." Rei looked out of the window in the direction of the swimming pool, various school children were laughing and playing in the water. The water reminded her of the small river she had visualised when listening to Shinji's song.

"Well that's more than I do." Asuka grumbled, "What?" Rei turned away from the window and resumed her walking only to stop a few metres further down the corridor.

"After yesterday when he saved us I was unsure as to what I was feeling. I was confused because although I know the consequences of Shinji's actions led to punishment I did not understand why I found myself willing to do the same for him."

"Oh. I see." Asuka blinked, noting the First was continually using Shinji's first name as opposed to his surname. She was going to finally give in to the voice when she realised where they were standing. "Why are we at the nurse's office?"

"One of our classmates saw the pilot of Unit One travel in this direction. I suspect it was to go here."

"You suspect?"

"Yes." Rei knocked twice and waited for the signal that she could enter; Asuka however did not wait for permission and opened the door herself. The two young girls poked their heads around it to find a nurse busy spraying something on someone's back.

******_[Occupational Hazards]_**

"Why did you not go to NERV medical then?"

"I really don't want to go to NERV right now, of course I'll have to after this but I don't want to. Besides the nurses there don't talk to you, or anyone they're just automatons." The figure on the bed gasped as the spray hit a tender spot.

"Oh I see. Bad day at the office huh?"

"An Angel would be considered a bad day in anyone's office Nurse Koushi."

"Depends upon what kind of angel it is honey."

"I suppose so. Did you, err, hear a knock?"

"No."

"Hmm, I'm hearing things."

"Does it hurt Shinji?"

"Yes, but not as much as it did thank you."

"Anytime honey."

Shinji got up gingerly, and it soon became obvious why; his back had three very large circular bruises around the middle. Asuka's eyes widened for as the boy turned around he revealed a matching set on his chest and stomach, the purple, black and yellow markings were in roughly the same position that the Angel's tentacles had pierced the body of Eva 01. That wasn't the only war wound Shinji had picked up from the battle yesterday it seemed, for when he dragged a hand through his hair he revealed a nasty gash above his right eyebrow. Shinji slowly put his school shirt back on and buttoned it up, Asuka didn't know why but it was at that moment she couldn't bring herself to speak to Shinji and she ducked out of the door again making a quick dash for the library doors.

The library was empty, devoid of even a librarian. Asuka closed the door behind her, not sure what it was she was thinking, not sure whether she was scared to talk to him or something else. Asuka was suddenly aware that she was not alone after all; someone was leaning against the door also.

"I... Was unable to speak to Shinji as well. I found the wounds... I found the... I..."

"Disturbing."

"Yes. Very." Rei was holding her hands in front of her again, but she was squeezing them so tightly the knuckles going white. She had a look on her face Asuka could only identify as guilt, not knowing why she put a hand on her shoulder. Rei looked up and gave a nervous smile, not knowing what to do.

"It's unlike you to get so emotional. You just don't."

"I feel guilty. It should not be Ikari's duty to protect us, he should not have to suffer for me."

"We all have a life to lead First Child, why are you so desperate to take any punishment the Angels give out? Why are you always so determined that you must take the most dangerous role."

"It matters less if I perish."

"No it doesn't." Asuka sighed, "Who'd have thought I'd be the one telling you all of this. God this is awkward."

"I apologise for your trouble."

"Okay, do not do that. Do not apologise okay, it'll just make me angry." Asuka half snarled, "Has he gone?"

"He has left school to report in to command." Rei said, looking out of the library window. "We should go and find him there."

"We'll go together okay?"

"Okay." Rei nodded and followed her out of the door. "You are being most pleasant to me, it's nice." She gave Asuka a small smile that the slightly taller girl reciprocated.

"Yes, well you're acting less like a doll so that's probably why." Asuka said slyly, a hint of her usual anti-Rei tone in her voice.

"I do not understand." Rei stated confused, but Asuka dragged her by the hand out of the door and in the direction of the nearest NERV complex entry point.

******_[Giving The Devil His Due]_**

"Major Katsuragi."

"Commander Ikari, I do apologise for interrupting you from your work sir."

The Commander stretched his gloved hands behind his head, and peered over the rim of his glasses a cold stare that failed not to betray his annoyance despite the fact his voice appeared to.

"IF it is constructive Major I will not mind in the slightest. Work can wait at the moment anyway; will you join me for lunch? We can discuss your topic on the way." Misato looked surprised by the Commander's offer, but this was an excellent opportunity for her to gain some insight into his relationship or lack there of with Shinji.

"Err, yes sir. I'd like that." The Commander smiled and led the way to the lift, he already had her on the back foot and she didn't even know it. Whatever this was, the Human Instrumentality project took greater significance. The doors opened silently and closed as soon as Misato entered, she cleared her throat not entirely comfortable in this situation.

"It is about the pilot of Unit One sir."

"What is it this time?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure our actions yesterday were appropriate."

"Oh?" He gave her a glance most people would assume to be cold, not that the commander had a big range on emotions. He was interested that the major had the courage to come and tell him this directly. "Are you questioning the decisions of the higher command?"

"Yes... I mean no... I mean."

"You appear not to know what you mean major." Commander Ikari said dismissively, Misato growled. "I have decided that the pilot of Unit 01 be stripped of all NERV privileges, monetary etc and his clearance reduced to level 5 until further notice. Evangelion Unit 01 will be piloted by Rei in the event of another Angel attack."

"Baring in mind Shinji hates everything about piloting that alone will not deter him or prevent him from doing the same thing again."

"An example needs to be set, The Second Child will need to learn from the mistakes of the Third. This way we can avoid any repeat of the unnecessary damage caused to Unit 01."

"You're forgetting of course that had Shinji not interfered Eva Unit Zero would have received substantial damage beyond that which Shinji's EVA suffered." The Commander had to agree that Major Katsuragi had a point, but she didn't understand the importance of the Test Type in the overall scheme of things. "Besides you think Rei would not do the same thing for him?"

"She knows her place." He stated after a moments thought.

"Commander Ikari your favouritism and preference towards her are rather obvious if I may say, not only to myself and Shinji but to Asuka and Rei herself." Misato said. She had stopped by the Central Dogma Command Centre before hand to get some advice from Ritsuko about how to handle the Commander; fortunately Commander Fuyutski had been present and overheard later cornering Misato and giving her some more useful pointers. The main tip was never ever ever EVER back down to Ikari, not even for a second or you're finished, the second was that the local restaurant was hiring waitresses if Misato got fired. Commander Fuyutski had said though he would try to mitigate any damage Ikari might bring to Misato's career at NERV, which was mildly comforting. "Maybe you should ask Rei if you are so sure."

"I don't think I need you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do Katsuragi." Perhaps she should start practicing her serving technique...

"Shinji only acts the way he does because it is the way he sees the world. He has very few constants, very few friends, all he really has me, Rei and Asuka."

"Is that all?" It was said as a 'have you finished?' question but Misato took it as a 'is that all he has?'

"More or less. It's not as if he has any immediate family."

"We cannot change the past Major all we can do is control the future to mitigate that which shall become our present. As for my relationship with my son that is my business."

"As his LEGAL guardian I say that makes it very much my business."

"Major Katsuragi!"

"No, I'm not going to back down. Not this time." Misato was trembling inside but she did not show it to the seething Commander of NERV. "You cannot blame him, his behaviour is a by-product of your actions towards him."

"Are you blaming me for the incident?"

"I am merely pointing out that there are whys and wherefores as to how Shinji looks at life and you are a cause of many of them. One of these days you're going to have to accept that." The lift stopped and opened out onto the central bar of floor B: 26-4. The Commander stepped out of the lift, beginning a brisk walk to the nearby food area with Misato in hot pursuit. The bar section was closed off of course; employees were not allowed to drink during 'the red zone'. These were the hours that had held the majority of the Angel attacks so far, it was all very curious that the Angels seemed to turn up at roughly the same time. If they hadn't have been in such a rush of course and had they taken a moment to listen they may have been surprised to hear some music coming from behind the locked door...

******_[Think Synch]_**

"How do you suppose he got those wounds First Child?" Asuka and Rei had reached the NERV tube train station and were just boarding a surprisingly empty carriage. Rei did not meet her gaze, apparently recalling the terrible bruises on Shinji's chest and back. "After all it was his Eva that was impaled, why should he have similar marks?"

"We feel pain when our Eva is hurt." Rei said quietly, "The higher our synchronisation the more we become one with our Evangelion, that is what the nerve connection is. It is more than just bonds that enable us to move the Eva. Did you see Shinji's data stream on the recording?" Asuka shook her head; there had been very little telemetry data from Shinji's unit included in the chip. She remembered the time with the Angel that expelled acid and how she had protected the other two Evangelion from it while they prepared a counter-offensive. She couldn't remember being in so much pain; her back had felt as though the flesh had been stripped off of it. Maybe it was more than a big toy after all.

"No."

"When Shinji jumped in front of Unit 02 he had to move very rapidly." Rei explained, slipping back into her monotone voice. "His ratio kicked up to 98.974%"

"Mein Gott!" Asuka exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat. Rei looked out of the window apparently lost in thought, after a minute or so she spoke again.

"It is reasonable to suggest that the higher we sync with our Eva the more we will feel their pain or even share their injury."

"But the Eva's don't feel pain."

"Do you recall your battle within the volcano? You felt pain when Unit 02 lost it's leg, you felt it in your own leg didn't you?"

"Only a tingle, I know I didn't have a very high sync ratio that day but, but it's just a machine."

"It is a bio-machine, who knows if it does or if it doesn't." Rei shrugged, thus ending that topic of conversation just as the train stopped at the appropriate section. The two pilots exited with Rei seemingly leading them in a direction only she knew about down some rather labyrinthine passageways - not that NERV's interior design wasn't labyrinthine anyway.

"Err, where are we going wonder girl?"

"I believe I know where Ikari is."

"Oh." Asuka continued to follow blindly, doubting Rei's ability not to get lost in this building. "Rei, you've been acting rather differently lately."

"In what sense?" Rei threw a glance over her shoulder, Asuka shrugged.

"Well..."_ Ask her... Ask her... _"You actually wore some other clothes yesterday."_ Coward..._

"Major Katsuragi suggested it might help me to 'open up' more."

"She ordered you didn't she?"

"Yes."

"Fool." She muttered, "Well they... Well, suited you."

"They did?" Rei stopped dead in her tracks, turning around to fix Asuka with a look of pure amazement. "I did not know what would be appropriate for me to wear, I only guessed."

"Well they did, and you have opened up more. You haven't been acting like a windup doll, you've actually shown some emotion, and you point blank accused Misato of lying."

"I suppose it has." Rei resumed her walk, "We are talking. That is good."

"I wouldn't have thought so two days ago." Asuka admitted, "But yeah, it is."

"We are... friends?"

"I suppose we are."

"That is agreeable." Rei gave a small smile, "Can I ask one thing of you though?"

"What."

"Don't call me wonder girl." Rei's face switched to a stony glance. "I hate it."  


* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**ArchangelUK 0:o)**


	4. Duets For Three

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

**_A/N: Good news I have figured out where and when we are at the moment! Think of it this way, the Angel the Eva pilots fought was an alternate version of Iruel (aka Angel Number 11 - or Computer Circuit Angel - or the Angel Ritsuko and Maya destroys). So we are now approximately three days after the events of that day. _**

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own a copy of Kaji's Melons Monthly! Which, oddly enough was on the top most shelf, I....*opens mag* Oh. On second thoughts I DO NOT own a copy of Kaji's Melons Monthly..._

**Part 4: Duets For Three**

_"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."  
~ Romans 12:6 ~_

******_[Red Faces & Red Lettuce]_**

Her face was a very bright purple, as was his. He swallowed, not quite understanding where and when it had all gone so pear shaped and wondered what would happen if Misato ever found out about this accident. Well he'd probably be six feet under before he could say "Gomen-nasi Katsuragi." His immediate problem was the tech in front of him who looked as though she was about to hit him with something blunt and probably made of metal. The clipboard she was carrying looked rather menacing...

"Listen here Kaji." She stuttered part through anger and part through embarrassment.

"Why Maya, how could you suggest such a thing. I was only trying to -"

"I know very much what you were trying to!" Maya Ibuki spun on her heel away from the stubble-chinned man, who sighed audibly. Dr Ritsuko Akagi who was standing next to the open doorway Maya stormed through looked at Kaji and shook her head disappointedly.

"You won't get anywhere with Maya you know."

"I wasn't trying to." Kaji insisted, "It was a pure accident that I happened to... well."

"Spare me the gory details. I thought you were starting to fall for Misato's charms again."

"Doomed battles aren't my style."

"Uh-huh. You seem very cosy lately..."

Kaji looked at Ritsuko quizzically. "Define 'cosy'."

"Chatty then." She corrected a wave of the hand by Kaji dismissing the need for apology.

"Ah, the lovely Katsuragi isn't in the talking mood at the moment. I tried to talk to her after the last Angel arrived and I ended up getting a rather large torrent of abuse." Kaji groaned, remembering the tirade in all its very loud and rude detail. "She wasn't all that pleased." Ritsuko chuckled.

"That sounds like Misato." She smiled, "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"I would have thought that was obvious." Kaji said loading his plate up with a variety of different salad foods and dousing it with a rich dressing. The doctor looked at her watch questioningly.

"It's a bit early to have lunch isn't it?" Ritsuko pressed the appropriate number on the drinks machine and a cup appeared out of nowhere, a stream of tea then began filling it to the top. At Kaji's request she pressed it again to get him the same drink.

"Well, I like to eat." He eventually said, as the pair sat down at one of the green tables that dotted the food area. This was in contrast to the bar area which had red tables and much better colour co-ordination. Ritsuko smiled and sipped her tea as her old friend chewed a forkful of lettuce. It was at that moment the lift opened and the Commander exited, with a protesting Misato on his heels. Kaji pointed his fork at the approaching duo, "Unlike the Commander to come down here."

"Very true." The doctor nodded, her curiosity peaked by Misato's appearance with Ikari.

"What do you suppose all this is about?" Kaji asked, indicating Misato Katsuragi's apparent frustration.

"You probably."

"Me?" Kaji coughed almost choking on his food, Ritsuko stifled a laugh as the Commander and Misato both grabbed meal trays and stated to help themselves to the 'executive' area of the food displays. "Why is it always me?"

"Maybe because you're a double agent working for both NERV and SEELE? Maybe because you happen to push Misato's buttons? Maybe both for all I know."

"You know more than you let anyone know Ritsuko. You and I both know that."

"Really? Then what is it exactly I supposedly know that you supposedly don't?"

"I haven't got to that bit yet but I will soon don't you worry." He winked at her and she shook her head sadly, a far off look in her eye. She could see Kaji's future - it wasn't very long and it would end in hurt for Misato. Who had just sat down at a table several metres away with her back to her friends; the Commander could see both of them and nodded which drew the Major's attention towards her grinning friends.

"Katsuragi!" Kaji called, smiling and waving. Misato scowled at him in such a way his grin immediately went into reverse and he quickly broke eye contact shovelling another slice of tomato into his mouth. Ritsuko blinked in confusion.

"Unlike you to get flustered by her looks."

"Oh I know the look she just gave me my dear doctor, I know all her looks and that was her 'this is personal, distraction equals death' look. Whatever Misato is talking with the Commander about it's very very important."

"I see." Ritsuko nodded but Kaji shook his head vigorously.

"On the contrary, whatever it is we do not see, or hear. It would be for our own good."

"Maybe you should apply that logic to your other job Kaji." Ritsuko smirked, Kaji sighed and ate some more of his salad.

******_[Ebony & Ivory & Fire & Ice]_**

Asuka had kept quiet after Rei's outburst; still she followed like a sheep following another sheep for want of anything better to do. They past many corridors, many rooms, many people she had never seen before. Then again they of course all knew her. Suddenly Rei stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look down an adjacent corridor, a confused Asuka watched as the blue haired girl's features seemed to suggest recognition, but of what Asuka didn't know.

"What is it?"

"The music." Rei whispered, and Asuka strained to hear whatever it was Rei could hear but failed only the sound of the escalator humming entered her ears.

"What music?"

The piano was playing again, Rei could hear it but it wasn't the same. It was Shinji's song but there was something wrong with the piece, as every time he tried to play a particular high note he made a mistake. She frowned, and Asuka frowned too, she still couldn't hear anything.

"Something is wrong..."

Rei set off at a run hurrying down the corridors to find him, Asuka who had been left very much in Rei's wake growled and took off after the rapidly disappearing pilot of Eva 00. Rei knew where she was going and quickly reached the entrance to the bar, which was once again open, the dividers between it and the food section were still locked. There were people in there she could see, but due to the frosted glass she didn't know who it was. She crept slowly towards the piano where Shinji was still playing.

Now he seemed to be getting into things again, Rei felt the same sensations flow through her. She could begin to see the forest, the fields, the clear blue sky and dazzling sunshine. She felt so warm and at peace but she still knew that this was but a dream. None of this was real. None of it. Swallows, or maybe Swifts flew through the air in formation their forked tails easily identifying them as they banked suddenly to the left. Rei found herself by a stream, sitting on a red and white chequered blanket with what looked like a picnic hamper by her side. There was someone else there, but before she could make it out there was a note out of place followed by a loud protest from the piano as a fist angrily thumped down on the keys. Rei's eyes shot open as she observed Shinji look at his right hand in a mixture of anger and sorrow; he clasped his left hand around his wrist and flexed his fingers trying to solve his apparent problem. Rei could see what it was; the twitch that Shinji had picked up in it following his first combat against an Angel was rearing its ugly head again. That explained why the mistake was always on the high notes, because that was where Shinji's hand had been, the hand twitched again and Shinji closed his eyes in disappointment.

Rei's face seemed to be doing four or five emotions at once, which baring in mind it rarely did one was quite an achievement. Rei felt angry, angry that the actions of the Angels had caused Shinji's disability. She felt disappointment that she couldn't hear all the song, sad that Shinji appeared so upset himself, yet she was also happy and relieved that she had found him. A part of her also realised that Asuka had not kept up with her and was resigned to another torrent of angry German when the red head caught up.

"Hello Ayanami." Shinji's words startled her, she had made no sounds so how did he know that a) he wasn't alone and b) it was her.

"Hello Ikari."

"Come sit with me." Shinji not turning around budged up on the piano stool and patted the space next to him. His voice was almost like Rei's normally was, cool and unemotional. The blue haired pilot somewhat nervously sat down next to Shinji and he finally turned towards her. She did not say anything at first; the pair just looked into each others eyes he waiting for her to speak, she trying to figure out what to say.

"I needed to speak to you." Rei managed eventually, breaking the glance.

"You have questions." Shinji stated in that same Rei-like voice, something that was beginning to seriously unnerve her.

"Yes." She mumbled, clutching her hands together. "Your wounds...."

"They'll heal Ayanami." Rei breathed a sigh of relief, though this was due to the fact that Shinji's voice had returned to normal as opposed to the fact Shinji's cuts and bruises would repair themselves. "They'll heal..."

"It wasn't that exactly, it was more to do with why you received them." Rei looked down at the keyboard and was surprised to feel Shinji put his arm around her. He felt so warm. It felt so comforting.

"That I should have killed the Angel when I had the chance."

"No!" Rei blurted, then blushed. "Your father was... wrong." The words seemed so unnatural to her.

"You'd do the same for me wouldn't you?" Shinji said quietly, releasing his arm from around her. "This confuses you."

"Yes." Rei nodded, surprised by Shinji's knowledge of the way she felt. No one else knew her so well or understood what she was thinking. "I would do the same and yet I know the reprocussions of it. The pilot of Unit Two explained to me why I feel this way." She wouldn't be able to explain why I feel this way around you though...

"Asuka and you spoke?" Shinji almost fell off the stool. "She spoke to you? A-And she didn't yell?"

"That is correct. She was with me before I heard you play your song, and then I ran off to find you. She will be most angry with me."

"That she will be!" Shinji nodded and smiled, "You knew it was me. How?"

"The other night I watched you while you played."

"I see." Shinji grinned, making Rei blush again. "I didn't know you were there."

"That was my intention." Rei stammered, "I-I wanted to know who it was playing, I needed to know who was playing such music."

"It was good?"

"It was... wonderful." Shinji's smile got even larger; he had never heard Rei say anything so emotional. He had expected 'pleasant' if she thought it was good, 'agreeable' if she thought it was okay and no answer at all if she thought it was awful. Shinji being Shinji was expecting the latter. "I'm the only one who knows aren't I?" Shinji nodded.

"I was planning to surprise everyone on Misato's birthday, I wrote the music myself. It's my first effort."

"Your first effort? It is most advanced."

"Well, I..." Shinji's face glowed red at her praise, then his hand twitched again and he scowled at it.

"Your hand..."

"Yeah, it's interfering with the high notes. I seem to be fine using it in the middle keyboard but then I try and use those three keys there." He pointed to the offending keys, "It twitches and I end up making a mistake."

"The other night you made no mistake."

"I was playing a version of it three keys down, it still works but the version I'm trying to play is better."

"I would like to hear it." Rei asked with pleading eyes.

"As I said I can't play it."

"I could play the notes for you. I remember the music very well, if you tell me what to play I should be able to play it."

"But you've never played the piano."

She shrugged, "I will learn. You must play that music again."

"How will you learn? I can't teach you."

"You taught yourself Ikari." The girl pointed out.

"Oh Ayanami it isn't just that..." Shinji gave a forlorn smile, "There is a companion piece of music that goes with it."

"There is more?" 

"If you want to hear it fully I'll need someone else to play with me, it's mainly lower notes but if you've got to play those few high ones for me and I've got to concentrate on the remaining high notes and middle eight then we need someone else."

"Did someone call for a maestro?" Shinji and Rei looked around to see a smiling (if slightly annoyed) red haired German girl, Asuka walked up to the piano and sat down on the other end of the piano stool so now Shinji was sandwiched between her and Rei. The irony of that wasn't lost on Shinji. "I didn't know you could play the piano Third Child."

"No one was supposed to." He sighed.

"Well, luckily you happen to know a gorgeous aficionado of all things musical who just so happens to be able to play the piano as well." Asuka flashed a dazzling smile, while Shinji managed to stifle a laugh. "I'm serious Shinji!"

"I know it's 'my good fortune'."

"It is. Indeed it is!" Asuka smiled, and proceeded to play a quick musical arrangement to show off her skill - which turned out to be quite impressive.

"I remember that music Asuka, that's the music we used to defeat that Angel that split in two."

"Bingo Shinji my boy." Asuka said with a wink.

"That's very good." Rei commented, "Not as good as Shinji but still very good." Asuka's eyes narrowed.

"Okay then Third Child show me what you can do."

Shinji sighed, "Very well Asuka." Shinji then proceeded to play his three bar lower version of the music Rei had heard, after three minutes there was a note out of place. Not an error through Shinji's hand twitching, but from Asuka's falling jaw, Shinji stopped and looked at the pilot of Unit Two. She sat gaping at him, mouth open as if catching flies, eyes trebled in size.

"That...was you?" Asuka's senses had been blown away, the question was merely rhetorical to herself, she couldn't believe the person next to her played that it wasn't possible. Surely not. I mean his cello playing was good, but this was far beyond being in her league, it was not as though it was a level or two above it was in a completely different stratosphere. While Asuka was in shock at how good it was Rei was practically asleep, her head resting on Shinji's shoulder, something Shinji hadn't appeared to notice yet. She was lightly humming the tune while she rested, Asuka had never seen her so relaxed, then again she had never seen anyone so relaxed.

"Yes Asuka, that was me." Shinji couldn't help laughing, but in doing so he agitated his bruised chest muscles and he cried out in pain. Rei awoke from her trance like state.

"Shinji?"

"It's okay Rei... I'm fine." Shinji and Rei both noticed their closeness and rapidly corrected it, both blushing a deep beetroot colour. Asuka glowered at the First, her eyebrow twitching with suppressed rage. How dare she get so close to her Shinji! Wait a minute... her Shinji? Asuka's face suddenly matched the shade of Rei and Shinji's, something they both picked up on. Rei gave Shinji a questioning glance, he raised both eyebrows in response to her unspoken query and she nodded in understanding. Don't ask. Whatever you do, don't ask.

Rei Ayanami wasn't the only one who could sense when something was wrong, for in the mind of one Gendo Ikari an alarm as loud as an N2 mine was going off. Something was out of place.

******_[Ikari Vs Ikari]_**

The Commander didn't know what it was exactly that was out of the ordinary but whatever it was it was enough to distract him from the purple haired woman in front of him. He blinked in confusion as his brain tried to discern what it was that was that was out of place, he straightened and got slightly out of his chair making Misato stop in mid-argument.

"Commander?" The man raised a finger ordering silence; Misato gave him a glance as if to ask 'What?'

"Something..." He mumbled and made his way towards the other table, Ritsuko didn't even see him coming until a quietly whispered question of "Doctor? Do you hear something?" made her look up. Ikari's voice even at a whisper was still strong and masterful; she trained her hearing on the surrounding area and caught the faint sound of music.

"Music?" She asked looking at her superior,

"It sounds like a piano." Kaji added with a frown, Misato joined the three.

"But the only piano on this floor is in the bar next door, and, the bar is locked..." She trailed off as she looked at the frosted glass panels that cordoned off the bar area.

"I thought all personnel knew that drinking while in the red zone is prohibited." Ikari spat and with a face like thunder marched out towards the bar entrance, the others in hot pursuit. It didn't take them long to find the open door.

"Unlocked." Kaji unnecessarily pointed out.

"By whom?" Ritsuko asked, and was answered by Misato who drawing her gun said.

"Let's find out."

Asuka stared at the sheets of handwritten notation paper Shinji had produced and then looked up at him blankly. "You want me... to play this." Shinji nodded his affirmative, "Are you stupid? It would take me months to learn this you idiot." Shinji shrugged.

"W-w-well if the great Asuka L-Langley Sohryu isn't up to a, er, challenge..." He said teasingly, despite his nerves at making a direct challenge to the redhead.

"I didn't say that Third Child." Asuka growled, but playfully, then she noticed her name atop the first page. "What's this?"

"It is a duet Asuka, I... kind of had you in mind when I wrote it."

"Y-You were going to ask me to play it with you weren't you?"

"Well, I had kind of gathered that you played." Shinji said with a sly smile.

"How? I never told anyone."

"You boasted of being able to play the piano not two weeks ago Pilot Sohryu."

"Oh shush up Rei." Asuka stuck out her tongue in annoyance; Shinji glanced at Rei and rolled his eyes. "Shinji? I'm, well, its very kind of you to consider me in this little plan of yours."

"Yes. Well, as long as we don't have any more interruptions maybe its best if I leave you alone to practice."

"Practice?" Asuka blinked, seemingly unfamiliar with the word like her talent was purely natural.

"Practice." Shinji confirmed, "I need to start to teach Rei what to do for her part of the duet. Well, it's more of a 'triet' now... oh well."

Shinji led Rei over to a nearby table and opened his bag again, this time pulling out a large notebook and more sheet music. He laid them out, using an ashtray to keep them in position and avoid them being blown all over the place by the air conditioning. Shinji rubbed his eyes, he was tired, not just physically but mentally as well he had a headache and his chest was hurting like the blazes again. Yet he wanted to remain, Rei and Asuka were getting on and were happy to be with him, just as he was with being in their company. He was pleased they were all doing something together; something that for once didn't revolve around Evangelions or Angels, or Third Impact or Second Impact or saving the world. Something they were all interested in, something they all wanted to do as opposed to being ordered to do. It was nice.

"Now Rei, you can read music yes?"

"Of course."

"Sorry stupid question." Shinji waved a hand in apology.

"I will still require time to familiarise myself with the differences between reading notation for piano as opposed to music for violin."

"I'll, get you a photocopy of my notations and highlight those that will be your notes."

Rei frowned, "Shinji? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Ayanami."

"You appear to be in discomfort."

"It's...ah...nothing. Honestly I'm fine." Rei nodded but her eyes betrayed the fact she knew he was only saying that to avoid worrying her. In the background Asuka had started to play, with difficulty, the beta piece and it wasn't long before she was moaning at Shinji's 'sloppy notation'.

"It's not sloppy Asuka, you just can't play it yet." She was stunned by his bluntness and had no answer to it. He instead asked her to play what she could of the music and Shinji immediately spotted her problem. "Foot."

"Foot?"

"On peddle, press peddle, note then correct." Asuka's face darkened in embarrassment at making such an elementary mistake.

"Don't worry about it Asuka." Shinji whispered just as the door crashed open and his father, guardian, Kaji and Ritsuko came in.

"What is... this?" Ritsuko asked, seemingly to anyone who could answer.

"Rei, why are you all in here?" Commander Ikari seemingly dismissed, Asuka and Shinji and set his vision purely on the First Child.

"We were studying music." Rei stated in her usual monotone, this upset Shinji somewhat as she had been speaking in a warmer voice to him yet with the abrupt entry of his father Rei had gone back into her shell somewhat.

"This room is out of bounds at this time, you are aware of this are you not?"

"The room is not out of bounds." Rei stated calmly, "Merely it's function." Rei's cool logic was annoying Gendo.

"Look we weren't doing anything, least anything that would concern you." Shinji sighed, and suddenly felt the full weight of his father's attention focus on him.

"You are banned from such places as this as punishment for your actions in the last sortie."

"Oh leave him alone!" Asuka yelled only to be put squarely in her place by a vicious glare the coldness of liquid nitrogen. Misato made to go forward to interject but Kaji's hand on her wrist advised her it was best she did not.

"You." Gendo barked, focusing on his son. "Leave." Shinji didn't move, at least at first, he glanced over at Rei who looked like she so wanted to say something but her fear or respect for his father was preventing her. Calmly Shinji got up, whispered briefly into Asuka's ear what he wanted her to do and walked over to Rei, he gathered his notes, diligently placing them in order. The slowness and deliberate thoroughness started to grate at the Commander and his frosty glance was getting angrier and angrier by the second. Eventually after a brief non-verbal conversation with Rei, the content of which was lost on everyone Shinji stood before his father, holding his notebook in his arms and his bag slung over his back.

"Father." He said slowly, and for the first real time stared back into those cold eyes. There was a hiatus, until eventually Gendo snapped.

"I SAID LEAVE!!" He grabbed Shinji by the collar and threw him in the direction of the door, and this time it was Kaji who was stopped by Misato. Things would have ended that way with Shinji leaving if it was not for a most unfortunate situation. Shinji lost his balance and fell. More to the point he landed awkwardly letting out a yelp as though he had burnt himself. There was a moment of stillness before a gargling sound came from Shinji's throat, Asuka was immediately at his side as was Misato while Rei looked as though the strain between complying with Shinji's father and her will to rush to Shinji was about to get to her. The gargling sound got louder, until in a fit of coughing a disturbingly large glob of blood escaped Shinji's mouth and landed on the floor. His vision blurred, like he was looking through a sheet of gauze and unconsciousness claimed him.

The last thing he heard and saw was Misato screaming at Ritsuko to help him, Rei's heart winning the battle over her mind and Asuka cradling his head.

* * *

_To Be Continued...  
  
PS: If you like this please feel free to review, and Shinji/Rei fans might find my recent One Shot 'Dream A Little Dream of Me' interesting. Also it may be a while before another chapter materialises so apologies in advance.  
  
_**ArchangelUK 0:o)**


	5. A Counterpoint of Discord

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: So the first four parts were done in one go more or less, well, apologies this took so long but university work and all it just wasn't viable. Add to that the fact I'm finding it difficult to write more or less ANYTHING at the moment and a demanding audience for various other fanfics and I'm well and truly stuffed. Well if the first four united, the second will divide... the more things (and people) change the more they stay the same**_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own a copy of "101 Brooding Ways To Increase Karma" by Gendo Ikari.... a riveting read, *folds gloved hands in front of face* Now read the chapter, or LEAVE!_

**[Arc 2 : The More Things Change...]**

**Part 5: A Counterpoint of Discord**

_"Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father.   
~ Matthew 18:10 ~ _

******_[Conversations On An Astral Plain]_**

Deep under the foundations of the third New Tokyo, beneath armour plating, solid rock and beneath an Egyptian style pyramid built of the 21st century a consciousness suddenly became aware of another. It was not visible in NERV, not to the humans that populated it for it occurred on a level above mere human understanding. The best way to describe this subliminal level would be as a mixture of shapes, tones and colours. The original consciousness that existed comprised a mix of different red and purple hues though leaning to the darker end of the spectrum. Yet it was now that a second materialised on the boundaries of the first's awareness.

"Is it you?" The purple mass shrunk back slightly in caution, whilst at the same time darkening in colour.

"Do you know who I am?" This second comprised of a white and sky blue mix, and stopped opposite the purple one.

"I know who you are." If it had possessed a body as such it would have nodded. Instead it's tone lightened and it appeared to grow more receptive to the intruder. "I am also aware of what you are."

"I see."

"I have sensed your presence before, I have sensed you in the soul of the First."

"As I have sensed you, in the body of the First." A ripple of blue darted over the white apparition almost in amusement. "We are bonded it seems on two different levels."

"Ironic." The first laughed, a ripple of ochre passing over it's own appearance.

"Indeed."

"What is it you want?"

"Well I would wish to be free." Another wave of amusement washed over the whiteness, "Alas as you are aware that is not possible."

"But it is inevitable." The seemingly younger of the voices that represented these two beings pointed out. The other did not answer; then again it wasn't required of her.

"I bring you news." This time a green flash, obviously denoting surprise could be seen in the first. "The Third is injured, through the fault of the Commander of this installation."

"Gendo?" The voice was surprised to say the least, "He wouldn't!" She went to protest further but the cool clear voice of the second cut her off.

"He is twisted." She said simply, "That is my judgement of him at least and his character. Little remains of what you knew, for he fears the Third."

"Fears him?"

"Fears him for in his eyes he can see himself, what he could have been, and what by his actions he is creating and destroying for his own purpose." The presence seemed to drift away slightly, as though it was turning its head to look skywards and away from its counterpart. "I pity the Third."

"You pity Shinji?"

"His destiny is so heartbreaking." She sighed, "Fate is cruel to him, as all those which your Evangelions touch - it's purpose is poison to the hopes and dreams of all who come in contact with it. Yet with him it goes deeper, it eats away more, until it can do so no more and only afford him endless pain. Pain that exceeds that of body and mind, but pain that wrenches his very soul - it cries out in anguish."

"I hear it... I hear it every time he pilots Unit One, his agony."

"Fate... Even Angels must bow down to that which cannot be altered."

"So you know of what will happen?"

"If all goes according to the plan of this organisation, NERV I believe you call it, and those who preside above it we shall fail. Yet if that is to be our fate we accept that as I said."

"SEELE..." The first being muttered,

"Those of the seven eyes." The second said with barely concealed bitterness. "Angel attacks mean only closer steps to achieving their goals, and not one thought is directed to the suffering of those beneath them."

The first being pondered this statement for a moment, trying to deduce whether or not the presence was speaking of the children who pilot the Evangelions or the general populous of Tokyo 3 and beyond.

"On that subject," The shimmering mass continued, "The twelfth shall arrive soon - Leiliel shall pose a most interesting challenge to the Third." It was then she sensed it, the white presence tried to shield something from her but she had failed.

"I sense your compassion towards him." She stated.

"I love all Lillim, even those which imprisoned me, even those who mock God with their mask of seven eyes."

"No." The purple and red glob changed shape, "No, I sense something stronger for him equal almost to my own."

"He has been chosen." The voice sighed, "Not by you nor I, but by that which is higher than us both. By that which is divine and righteous and can never be tarnished or dulled. The latent gift he possesses is more important than he realises. It is a key to your salvation, the rallying cry to those that wish for survival."

"What gift?"

"I think I've told you enough..." And with that the presence disappeared.

"Gendo... What have you done?"

The cage supporting Unit One shook briefly; a rumble filled the ears of those nearby almost as though something had angered the Evangelion. And heaven help anyone who had angered the temperamental berserkable Evangelion Unit One.

******_[Cause & Effect]_**

The operations room shook slightly, enough to disturb Ritsuko Akagi from the steaming cup of coffee in front of her. She blinked twice and pulled out her pocket MAGI terminal, tapped rapidly with one hand and was rewarded by three 'cause unknown' responses from Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar. The doctor yawned, these all-nighters were beginning to get her down - she would have to go out sometime with Misato, maybe Kaji too if he wasn't doing something he shouldn't. Scratching behind her left ear in a manner similar to one of her cats she swivelled in her plush chair to see Misato appear, ascending via one of the many lifts. Misato got straight down to business.

"So what's the damage?" The major tried to make it sound bouncy like she normally would have, but her eyes seemed dull and sunken, her hair lifeless and grey. The chief of operations looked as though she had had no sleep, which was unsurprisingly true. At this present time Asuka was in a chair by Shinji's bedside, his condition was touch-and-go at the very best according to the doctors. Ritsuko, poured another coffee and handed it to the major who seemed about to collapse and she did, but into an adjacent chair.

"The synchronisation rate of Shinji in the last fight was so high his nerve impulses were almost identical to that of his EVA. When Unit One became damaged he felt some of the physical pain - it's something we've seen before right from the very beginning."

"I'm aware of that Ritsu."

"You also must be aware we have some brief occurrences of similar injuries though this has primarily been seen with the First Child. Now though with Shinji's high sync ratio there was a higher degree of feedback through the impulses, all of which resulted in a total feedback gain of 25 percent."

"25 percent? What does that mean?"

"It means that on a relative scale of 1:1 between Shinji and Eva, Shinji with stained injuries equivalent to a quarter the severity of his Evangelion. What happened to the Evangelion happened to Shinji, but to a much lesser extent."

"WHAT?"

"Shinji has two broken ribs, a hairline fracture to his collar bone not to mention a blood clot the size of a golf ball on his left lung and bruises on top of bruises possibly on top of bruises."

"Whoa! No wonder he collapsed..." Misato trailed off, but was interrupted by a spray of coffee spittle that peppered her uniform. Ritsuko coughed and looked at her in wide-eyed amazement.

"Collapsed?" She yelled, "It's a wonder he's even breathing let alone been walking around for several days! By all medical knowledge he should have been dead when we pulled him out of the entry plug!" The doctor waived her arms around wildly to emphasise her point.

"Yikes." Misato managed after a few minutes, she had the sudden almost motherly urge to go and check on her charge. She would, but first she needed some information. "Have you seen Rei anywhere?"

"No. Not since yesterday, I take it you know what happened between her and Asuka."

Misato nodded, "Oh yes. I remember that very much." Then she got somewhat unsteadily out of her chair and disappeared downwards, once again back on the lift. She needed to speak to Asuka about what happened with Rei, she had tried before but she had been to preoccupied with getting Shinji into the medical bay to sustain attention with Asuka. She needed to speak to Kaji too, she could have sworn he knew more about this than he was letting on, and where was he anyway?

******_[Black & Bluemail]_**

NERV personel member R.Kaji, (number 653-4291) finished giving his report to his superior, at least, one of his superiors... not that he would ever call him anything but a thorn in his side. This thorn was Keel Lorenz, not that Kaji 'knew' that for he was not supposed to. Just like he wasn't supposed to know about the upcoming attack, Ritsuko's position within Project E, the knowledge of SEELE and indeed NERV's secret plans.

"Are you positive?" Keel seemed genuine surprised by what the stubble-chinned spy had said.

"That is what happened."

"Really... Hmm, that is so unlike Ikari." The old man mumbled almost to himself.

"The Third stood up to him, partially." Kaji trailed off for a second, "It was, hmmm, 'interesting' to view."

"What was the cause?"

"Unknown, at least at this time. I do not wish to push the issue presently as it would jeopardise my position."

Concealed by darkness Keel stroked his chin, "Agreed. Caution should always be your watchword. Do you believe it has something to do with what Ikari was asking earlier?"

_Ritsuko had already hit the emergency alarm she carried with her which would signal medical personnel to come to their aide. Shinji shook and convulsed, his head resting in Asuka's lap while his father looked down on him. Those cold eyes were staring upon the large blob of blood that lay on the floor by Shinji's head. Commander Ikari had not meant to use force, Gendo had only wanted to get Shinji out of there but actions had counteractions._

_There were always consequences with these things._

_Ikari considered what to do for a moment and after a few seconds he decided. He adjusted those spectacles of his - and he walked away as if nothing had happened. Misato was shaking, sobbing quietly as Shinji's body shook violently almost pushing Asuka away. The redhead in question was glaring at the Commander's rapidly retreating back, and it was but a few moments later that Rei had left. Asuka begun to scream at her, demanding she came back and helped but she had not been able to see what Kaji and Misato had. That Ikari had paused in the doorway, effectively preventing the arriving the NERV paramedics from entering the room._

_Ikari was blackmailing Rei into following him. She came with him, or Shinji would get no help, she had glanced at Misato who had nodded and Rei had gone. Gone with the sound of Asuka's vicious words in her ears, sounds of betrayal, fury and acid tongued spite. Of course Rei had come to see Shinji as soon as she could, but Asuka was there and had let her know exactly what she thought of her. Kaji could have sworn when Rei left there was a tear running down her pale white cheek._

He looked directly into the darkness at where the sound seemed to be coming from.

"No."

******_[The Asuka In Asuka's Mind]_**

Alone. Again. Asuka was painfully aware of her loneliness at this moment in time the steady beeping from the respirator attached to Shinji only served to remind her he couldn't answer her back. He'd done it again. 

_Damn him! Why does he have to keep doing that? Keep putting himself in the way for us, is that why he pilots Eva? To take punishment for others - what's up with him? _

"Idiot." She mumbled under her breath, not really meaning it though part of her prayed for a simple response of 'Sorry' to come from the bed. It was not to be. 

The air conditioning was annoying Asuka now. The beeping had become quieter for some reason but in this all but silent hospital room any small noise became equivalent to someone dropping a bowling ball on a library floor - a loud echoing thump. Of course the air-con was a continuous humming, a buzzing sound like a fly permanently stuck in her ear. The lack of humanity in the room was starting to get to the Second Child. 

"It smells in here." She said to Shinji's still form, flaring her nostrils in disdain. "It's so sterile, an antiseptic paradise... I know it's a hospital and it's supposed to be like this but it's sooo boring!" Asuka sighed and leaned on her elbow. "You're not much fun either." 

Two tired blue eyes lazily looked around the room for what must have been the sixteenth time that hour. Everything was artificial, save for her and Shinji of course. Pale orange light lit the entire ward, artificial air was pumped in, the temperature was maintained by the MAGI. Shinji's respiratory system was currently artificial, the machines hooked up to him weren't... natural.... it wasn't right for him to have those tubes in him. It just wasn't. 

"Shinji?" She shook his shoulder, "Shinji? Come on wake up idiot..." She shook more vigorously. "Apologise baka, I need you to make me breakfast in the mornings!" Asuka had intended to say it playfully, but it sounded desperate instead. "Shinji? Shinji?? SHINJI!" She pulled viciously on his shoulder practically pulling him out of the bed. She stared blankly as the covers fell away revealing the full extent of Shinji's chest wounds. Asuka held her head in her hands, mainly to block out the view. "Please Shinji... wake up. I don't want to be alone."  


"Why did you yell at her?" Misato's voice caught Asuka's attention but she couldn't respond and so she simply looked blankly at her guardian. "Couldn't you see she was upset?"

"She's just a doll." Asuka said narrowing her eyes, "I thought perhaps I was wrong, but it seems that she doesn't feel anything. She has no will her of her own, she is just there uncaring and unwilling to use her own mind and judgement."

"She was hurt by what you said, but I think you wanted to hurt her."

"What?"

"You are very transparent Asuka." Misato stated, looking out of the window in an eerily Rei-like manner.

"Who are you calling transparent?!?" Asuka yelled getting to her feet, her eyes vast pits of fury as she prepared to explode at the older woman. A faint beep from one of the machines attached to Shinji reminded her of where she was and helped to calm her slightly. Not by much though.

"I know you care for him Asuka." Misato said quietly, turning her head to see Asuka gazing down concerned at Shinji. "It's rather obvious to someone who knows you as well as I."

"What are you talking about? You don't know who I am, not really!"

"Hikari probably realises it too."

"I do not like that idiot!" 

"No you love that idiot, and what's worse is that Rei loves that idiot as well." Misato said, her voice slowly starting to get more monotone and... was her hair starting to look lighter as well?

"Rei loves Shinji?" Asuka squeaked, falling backwards into her chair with such force the wood creaked in violent protest.

"You suspected this yourself didn't you, at least it is what you believe." Asuka stared at Misato and noticed her hair seemed to be getting shorter, the walls of the hospital room faded away to darkness.

"This isn't real." She accused, "It's all a dream, you aren't Misato."

"Maybe so, but you wanted to hurt her didn't you. She was a threat to you."

"I do not listen to figments of my imagination!" She looked at the bed, which was still there, expecting to see Shinji there, or it at least empty. But she was horrified to find herself lying there, another younger Asuka from around the time she was chosen as a pilot. The tubes, drips and wires peppered the young body, yet she seemed to be conscious. Her head rolled to one side to look at the 'older' Asuka. "What the?"  


The younger Asuka's lips didn't move, yet she seemed to still speak.

_"I don't need anyone, not Mama or Papa,  
I'll stay by myself and live by myself and I'll never cry again!"_

"But..." Asuka stammered, "That's not right."

_"But it is, you must have anything and everything you want on your terms and your terms alone."_

"To live." The Misato/Rei hybrid added.

_"No Mama, please! Don't kill me!"_

"To survive." Asuka dejectedly replied.

"Yet you are confused as to what you feel. Rei took a big risk in exposing her emotions to you." Misato-Rei turned towards Asuka and now had red eyes, she seemed to be speaking in both Rei and Misato's voices at the same time.

"She doesn't SHOW emotion." Asuka insisted, "She can't."

"Can't or could not?"

"I..."

"She couldn't but the actions of Shinji stimulated that bit of her to realise those feelings."

_"Just as it stirred those feelings in you."_

"If you suddenly had feelings you did not before, if you could see father beyond borders unimaginable to you, beyond your stars... hear what you could not before, what others were really thinking you'd be-"

"-Scared."

_"I don't need anyone!"_

"I'd be afraid." The Second Child admitted.

_"A battle should be quick and without waste."_

"But if she does love him and if I do too, in what way is it that we love him?"

"We don't know."

_"She is not aware of what her feelings mean."_

"She took a big risk, to expose her fragility to you and you crushed her with your own anger and jealously."

_"And so the puppet's strings are cut..."_

"But strings can be mended if you wish it to be." Misato-Rei said as everything started to disappear from Asuka's dream and she began to wake up.

"What do you mean?" Asuka cried out to the hybrid, "What does that all mean?"

""He cares about you too, as does Misato and Rei but how will he react if he knew what had happened?"

"Stop talking in riddles!" yelled Asuka, "Tell me, please!"

_"What if he already knew?"_

And it was then that Asuka woke up...

******_[Some Erradicatable Elements Linger Evermore]_**

In the cold darkness movement stirred and a dark shape emerged, the text SEELE 03 forming on its jet-black surface. "It seems Ikari is losing his grip."

"This could affect things." The weasel-tone voice of SEELE 04 replied, materialising as did several other SEELE members.

"And tip them in our favour." Said S11.

"If we wanted to oust Ikari we could use this incident." 04 was interrupted by the Russian accent of 02.

"Plus a deliberate leak of some 'evidence' regarding Dr Ikari's death."

"You always were good at providing 'evidence'." The French voice of SEELE 09 chuckled, bringing a brief moment of laughter to the Throne Of Souls. That was until the calming tones of SEELE 10 asked;

"Is it really wise to remove Ikari."

"He does plot against us..." Motioned 04,

"True." S10 conceded, "But would Fuyutski prove a less difficult obstacle than Ikari?"

"You raise an interesting point." S06 agreed, "What say you Keel?" And the final obelisk appeared, Keel did not speak for a couple of minutes and the other members respectfully waited in silence. Finally Chairman Lorenz Keel spoke -

"We will not remove Ikari. This further breakdown in the relationship between him and his son could if anything accelerate our schedule. If he is under a pressure - whatever this may be, he will make mistakes."

"Mistakes we could capitalise upon." The decidedly English sounding SEELE 03 agreed, yet Keel continued.

"The longer he continues to make mistakes the better for us all, the more he or NERV screws up the more SEELE can regain our hold over the scenario."

"NERV is dangerous under him." S08 warned in a cold whisper, "He possesses Evangelion Units 00 through 02 as well as all three current pilots. I believe MARDUKE will soon identify a suitable candidate for the Fourth Child."

"And he shall naturally be stationed in Tokyo-3 under Ikari." S11 hissed.

"Not to mention the fact he also possesses the first and second Angels." SEELE 09 added. "He holds all the cards."

"All the winds and dragons..." Keel muttered, "No. Ikari shall remain for now; the scenario shows the coming of the twelfth soon. We shall see what NERV and Ikari can do about that."

******_[Feelings Consist of Bad & Good]_**

A pair of ruby red eyes stared out of the window, their owner sighed though this was barely audible. Her gaze to the untrained eye was simply blank yet to the eyes of those who knew her well it would be obvious that Rei Ayanami was upset - something that all of three days ago would have surprised her as she then she could not feel. Not a thing. Now that was all different thanks to Shinji Ikari.

She rolled over onto her back and slowed her breathing, "I believed that Sohryu and myself were getting along. That she had finally calmed to me, calmed to herself, quenched her inner rage. Was I wrong?" Rei glanced over at the pair of glasses that lay on her chest of drawers. "Does she still hate me? Why? Was she right in what she said, should I have defended Shinji another way. Was there another path?"

Rei contemplated what had happened in the bar.

"Should I have confronted the Commander?"

_"To hell with you Rei! You're a worthless, brainless, emotionless puppet just as I thought! A PUPPET! A PUPPET! A PUPPET!!!"_

She looked up to the moon but it was silent, it gave her no answer this night. Rei got up and walked over to the twisted glasses, opened a drawer and pushed them into it. She could not bear to look at them this night.

"What is it that makes the Commander so emotional about his own son, about Shinji. What caused this - the emotions of father or son or the emotions I have begun to feel on the boarders of my thoughts. Is this the damage that emotions can do? Was it I who hurt Ikari? Was it my fault l-like Sohryu said... did I hurt Shinji?" She screwed up her eyes, successfully blanking out the pale and lifeless room around her. "Maybe that is why I cannot bare to return to that place - NERV medical. I have been there too much myself and to see him there again I-I cannot bare it."

_If these are the nature of feelings... I... Do not want them..._  


* * *

_To Be Continued...  
  
PS: Pt 2 of NGE humour fic "Yui Ikari's Swedish Sock Drawer" is online, so please don't send me weird e-mails to me about lobsters, vomiting and other things to try and speed it up... It doesn't help and only serves to make me wonder about the sender's sanity and if it's truly safe to do another chapter.  
  
_**ArchangelUK 0:o)**


	6. Convalescence

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Good news to all those who like this series, and perhaps bad news to those who hate it immensely and want to bash it to death with the severed head of Kaworu (there's bound to be one somewhere). Anyway I now know how many parts this story will be! It's 35... sweatdrops. 4 per Angel then Death & Rebirth and End of Eva but Coda will go on until just a day or so after that. I put a few omake's at the bottom of this one too.**_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own a copy (#147 of a limited run of 1000) of the Lance of Longinus direct from SEELE War Surplus Ltd. Which sits atop my mantelpiece... and now is moving... and is pointing at me... I.. uh oh... runs_

**Part 6: Convalescence**

_"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."  
Galatians 5:22-23 _

******_And He Said: "The Only Savior Is The One Needing Saving"_**

It was one of those days, Fuyutski decided.

Gendo was being more anti-social than usual, even snapping back at his second in command. Misato Katsuragi, Director of Operations at NERV was keeping a constant (or as much as her schedule allowed) vigil at the bedside of Shinji Ikari. The latter having slipped into not a coma as such, but was essentially unconscious while his body recuperated from the injuries sustained in battle with the eleventh Angel and reopened in the subsequent 'incident' with his father. SEELE were being nosey about what happened, Chairperson Keel was making discreet enquires with certain people; he had 'interviewed' Lieutenant Aoba, Doctor Akagi and even himself on several occasions. It all spelt trouble.

Then there was the children, there were suggestions coming from various sources that MARDUKE was soon to clarify the identity of the Fourth Child. Something Fuyutski was curious about, as he had not been consulted about what was to happen. Not only that but the Second Child was being... eerily quiet. Asuka was eating, sleeping and working at NERV at the moment. The only time she went to school was when their legal guardian Misato Katsuragi had a day off and she was sure Shinji wouldn't be alone. Section 2 had reported she had been speaking very little to very few, even her best friend the Horaki girl. For a moment Fuyutski wondered if Ikari and Ritsuko were considering her as a way to balance Miss Sohryu's 'unique' personality - but he dismissed this as an old man's crazy thought. Even so, the events were worrying considering the Second's mental condition but more to the point her synch ratio had dropped a whole 6 points below her average.

Fuyutski was suddenly thirsty; he got up from his office chair and walked to a nearby coffee machine. Upon inserting his special silver and red NERV ID card a beverage duly arrived to his own specific specifications, and the sub-commander took it out with him onto the balcony. Not that this was a balcony really, more a grandiose gantry. His thoughts turned to Rei as he looked downwards at all manner of NERV techs, officers, engineers and assistance as they past below on the moving walkways like worker ants in a colony. A fair description, he thought to himself. Rei hadn't been near the NERV medical unit since Shinji was admitted to it not that the Commander would admit it but Ikari had been deliberately filling her free time with synchronisation tests sometimes lasting as long as five hours at any one time. The poor girl was exhausted, but would never say this of course thanks to her upbringing. Though Ikari wouldn't say he could see that Rei was missing Shinji, whether this was simply by companionship or something else he couldn't tell but seeing Rei's face and her gaze even more distant than normal was most disconcerting to him. Maybe it was because she looked so much like Yui.

_Oh Yui, what would you say if you had to witness such a thing. What your poor son has had to go through and what no doubt will continue to go through, I miss you so much. I wish you were here now for Shinji's sake, if not for mine or for Gendo's._

"Do you believe Shinji will make a full recovery?" The voice of Ryoji Kaji surprised the Sub-Commander, who upon blinking twice tore himself away from the sublime aroma of the warm coffee to fix the tall and slender agent with tranquil blue/grey eyes.

"Shinji Ikari is perhaps the strongest young man I have ever met." Fuyutski allowed himself a sad smile.

"But, do you think he will survive?" Kaji repeated, joining NERV's second in command on the gangway and leaning with his back against the rail.

"He will survive this, at least I hope he will." The Professor couldn't deny his desire any longer and took an all too satisfying slurp of the black liquid. "Ahhhh."

"Black, two sugars right?"

"How did you know that?" Fuyutski gave a curious smile and Kaji grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You pick up a few things here and there."

"You pick up more than a few things Mr. Kaji, you should learn to be more discrete." Kaji nodded, the warning was a friendly one unlike one he might expect from the likes of Ikari. As such he took the warning at its face value and inclined his head in acknowledgement while Fuyutski had drunk some more of his coffee. The sub-commander was so unlike Ikari, one could easily describe them as chalk and cheese - at least in Ryoji's opinion. Thinking of Ikari never seemed to do his mood any good though, and Kaji soon found he was frowning strongly at the thought of him behind his desk, gloves and damned tinted glasses. Fuyutski was quick to pick up on this. "He'll be the death of him."

"Huh?" Kaji was taken aback. Fuyutski sighed, slipping his hand more around the NERV branded mug not so as to strengthen his grip the elder man thought that would be a most - 'Ikari' thing to do. He did it so as to help warm his hands, which were oddly cold for a building that had its heat internally regulated by the three most powerful computers in existence, the MAGI.

"Ikari, he'll be the death of his son. Not physically, mentally though, certainly emotionally."

"You sound so sure."

"I am. He is more like his mother than his father thank God." Fuyutski briefly looked upwards, "He wears his heart on his sleeve, but...

"But what?"

"He tends to go into things shoulder first."

Kaji looked downwards and rolled his tongue around his mouth. "Or gets pushed into things shoulder first."

"That would be a more accurate description." Surmised the sub-commander, while swirling his drink around. "Worse awaits him I'm afraid."

_ I know._ "I can only imagine."

"I'm sure." Fuyutski said, an almost invisible glint in his eye. "The only one who can save Shinji is... well... Shinji."

"Are we being monitored?" Kaji said suddenly, realising it was unusual for Fuyutski to be so willing to discus things or be away from Ikari. He looked around, trying to make it as casual as possible whilst looking for telltale red lights, out of place power supplies and other things Section 2 might use.

"No." Kozo replied with a stoic face. "Ikari is busy."

"Rei's synchronisation test?"

"Yes." Of course that wasn't wholly true, Gendo was with Rei while she synchronised and her memory patterns were updated in the event that one of her 'sisters' suddenly needed to be employed.

"I see." Kaji mused, "That means Ritsuko will be busy too. A pity."

"You had business with her?"

"No, not exactly." Kaji scratched his stubbly chin with a thumb, "I've been invited to the wedding of an old college acquaintance of ours. I was going to ask if she and Katsuragi are going."

"Why don't you ask Katsuragi yourself?"

"I kind of get the feeling she wouldn't like knowing I'll be going." Kaji said, his face downcast, Fuyutski chuckled and left Kaji alone downing the last of his coffee as he went. The younger man watched the sub-commander of NERV walk away and couldn't help but smile, if SEELE or Ikari had their own agendas in all this Angel business at least there were decent people such as Fuyutski who would look out for those designated as unimportant. He was confident in that, and emboldened by the hope of at least one high ranking NERV official looking out for the children Kaji returned to his office. More 'research' was needed...

******_Evangelico Italiano_**

"Rei."

Commander Ikari's cool voice cut through the LCL like a shard of glass through soft unblemished skin, it was only Rei's emotional training that prevented her from jumping in fright. This realisation instantly was brought into question - was she afraid of the Commander or was it something else? She was... disturbed by the feelings that had begun to emanate deep inside her. Slowly she opened her eyes to see him standing below her, those deep eyes hidden partially behind tinted lenses both looking upwards at her.

"Yes sir." Her voice did not waiver despite her inner turmoil. THIS was the man whose actions had resulted in Shinji being hurt and in hospital, yet he was also in many ways her father. He was the one who created her and he was the one who gave her purpose, to pilot her Evangelion. Without this man she would have to purpose. Without this man Shinji would be conscious and playing his song. Without this man the thing known as Rei would not be. Without the Instrumentality and the bonds that generate the thing known as Rei would not be. This was the man who had all but blackmailed her into leaving Shinji's side, the man who had prevented her from journeying to see the Third Child. Not that her own anxiety at seeing him injured or Pilot Sohryu's harsh words were not also barriers to overcome before she would even consider stepping into the medical unit again. This was the man who had brought her back from the dead. This was the man who had sought to bring _her_ back from the dead.

_I am I... I am I... I am I..._

"We're finished here." The Commander glanced over at Doctor Akagi and Rei noticed the blond haired woman nod in agreement before busying herself with some form of notes. The bespectacled man gave her a half smile, "Let's eat." Rei, though she did not wish to, saw fit to ingratiate Gendo Ikari with a small smile. Ritsuko scoffed then made out like she was coughing instead.

"Yes sir."

Rei changed into some clothes, a thin black turtle neck jumper and black trousers. She did not like the clothes much but these were the 'dining clothes' that she knew the Commander liked. Not that he had commented on this directly of course, but in his roundabout way of doing things the First Child knew he thought she looked 'nice' in them.

Thursday night was Italian night by tradition and the NERV limo arrived at what could be classified as Rei's favourite Italian restaurant. Then again, she realised, it was the only Italian restaurant he had ever taken her in her entire life so she didn't have much choice in the matter. Their usual table was waiting for them of course; the restaurant had a private room for the respected Ikari party whenever they "Graced the presence of Tokyo-3's humble Bistro Italiano." As the manager had once gushed, unsurprising seeming as their mere presence within his establishment often trebled his weekly income. Gendo Ikari was a rich man though he chose not to show it generally, he did not buy much but when it came to a dinner with Rei he certainly pushed the boat out no matter of the occasion.

"How is school?" Gendo asked (as usual),

"No problems." Rei replied (as usual), but her eyes were cast downwards. She prodded at the ravioli in front of her with her fork, slightly uncomfortable with the different eating implement and half-wondering if it would be more efficient to use chopsticks.

"Is something wrong?" Gendo said curiously, fully aware Rei was most definitely not her usual self.

"I," She paused for a second not sure whether she should say the truth, but to be misleading would be to lie and Rei had been taught never to lie. "I have been unable to check the progress of the Third Child for some time."

"Oh?" This was not what Gendo wanted to hear, being in Rei's presence had blissfully taken his mind off his son and his and Rei's recent interaction. "This bothers you?"

"I would like to know of his present condition."

"He is recovering sufficiently, you needn't concern yourself with that."

"As you wish Commander." The fork sliced through the pasta to penetrate what lay underneath with adequate precision. Both turned back to their respective meals, yet work was still the topic of choice.

"The pilot crossover synchronisation tests that were abandoned will be rescheduled as soon as Pilot Ikari has recovered."

Rei visibly became anxious, "I... will be piloting Unit One?"

"Correct."

"Understood." The whole idea of piloting Shinji's Evangelion seemed very unsafe to her for some reason. She much preferred the interior of Unit 00 than anything else; Shinji was bonded to his Evangelion, Sohryu to 02, and Rei to 00. "What of Pilot Sohryu?" She asked calmly, doubting the pocket firebrand would take kindly to all this Evangelion swapping yet at the same time Rei knew Asuka would be angry if she was left out.

"She is not a part of this exercise. She will participate in an additional synch test at the same time." Gendo said simply, understanding what Rei had meant "I understand you are not on good terms at present."

"She is... difficult."

"How?" Commander Ikari generally looked interested in this, though Rei couldn't entirely fathom why. The history or lack thereof between First and Second Child was well documented, even if there had been the temporary start of a possible friendship recently. Rei had decided during her previous synching that it would be best to keep as far away from Sohryu as possible. That way... maybe...

"I do not know."

...She wouldn't be hurt like that again...

"I see."

...And maybe Shinji would be okay.

Rei looked over to the piano and suddenly saw herself sitting with Shinji on its stool, him smiling and carefree. The young Ikari diligently teaching his pupil, proud of what she had achieved, that is what should be occurring now. Instead Shinji was unconscious on a hospital bed, with only an unfamiliar ceiling to greet him if he did ever see reality again.

Gendo Ikari noticed her glance and sombre sigh and surprised a growl, it seems his son's influence still caused him problems even when he was incapable of interaction. He would have to monitor this influence on Rei, it was already being problematic, should it become stronger it might become dangerous to his plans, himself and to Rei. That would be tomorrow though, he had a marvellous meal to still consume and Rei seemed to have adapted to using a fork well enough now. The meatball that he had been holding on his fork for five minutes suddenly fell off and rolled down into his lap, saturating his suit with bolognaise sauce as it went. The evening for Gendo Ikari was a complete success, and he accordingly summoned the bill.

******_A Sight Beyond Sight_**

Asuka Langley Sohryu hugged her knees to her chest, it had been a long evening she had spent it sitting as she was now out on the balcony of the apartment she shared with Shinji and Misato. Of course it had only been Misato these last few days, and it was at that precise moment that their Guardian slid open the front door and announced simply -

"I'm hooome!"

"Hi Misato." Asuka smiled as Pen-Pen who had been for some reason keeping her company on her moonlit vigil waddled over to Misato and warked a welcome to her. The probable content Asuka guessed probably contained the question 'You've got my fish right?'

"Tsk. Men (!)" Asuka mumbled, rolling her crystal blue eyes and tossing her mane of red hair in mock defiance at the penguin and his gender.

"What was that Asuka?" Misato looked up from petting Pen-Pen, who having had a sneaky look in the shopping bag Misato had brought in with her and being satisfied with both it's contents, quality and the fact Asuka wasn't alone now, wandered off back to his fridge for a nap.

"Nothing Misato." Asuka sighed, "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"If you mean with Shinji he'll... be fine alone for one night. He's under 24 hour surveillance, even if it is from the nurses and Section 2."

"But... I thought one of us was always gonna be with him." Asuka tried to sound angry, though inside she was wailing - he was alone! She'd left him alone! Part of Asuka's mind started to plan the quickest (and subtlest) exit of the conversation and travel arrangements to get to NERV as fast as possible.

"I know Asuka, but he'll be okay - I, needed to speak to you." Asuka's heart jumped into her throat.

"Shinji-baka's gonna be okay isn't he?" She squeaked, mentally cursing her open lapse in disinterest.

"Yes Asuka, touch wood." Misato rubbed the table next to her. "I just need to talk to you about something though. Okay?" Misato looked uncomfortable, Asuka shifted from one foot to another.

"Okay... I suppose." She slumped into a chair, the last time they had had 'a talk' she'd been informed of Shinji breaking rules to save her. Folding her arms Asuka quietly wondered what this was all about.

"Asuka, you didn't go to school today did you?"

"Huh, and leave Shinji-baka alone?" Asuka tossed her head again, this time her red hair falling and bouncing down around her shoulders.

"You knew I'd be there Asuka." Misato opened a beer can and took an almost cautious sip, looking at Asuka suspiciously, the young pilot sighed.

"I did go to school, it's just that the reason I went wasn't to learn exactly." Asuka's eyes suddenly thought the carpet was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Asuka, I'm up here."

"You know you should really change the colour of this."

"Asuka..." Misato's voice became stern as she looked over the top of her Yebisu can, Asuka humphed.

"Alright! Alright! Jeez, I went in to see if Rei was there - okay?"

"Why?"

"What is this, 20 questions?"

"Why?" Misato repeated.

It was such a simple question yet Asuka didn't seem to have an answer, she just seemed to sit there motionless as Misato finished her beer and moved onto her second. She was close to midway through her third can before Asuka said anything.

"I wanted to know."

"Wanted to know what?"

"Why she left him..."

"You mean why she left us when Shinji collapsed?"

"I know why." Asuka said, a low growl coming from the back of her throat catching her by surprise. "The little bitch was following the Commander as usual, the doll was obeying its master."

Misato shook her head sadly and finished her third can, she crushed it and with one swift and fluid motion threw it behind her. It bounced off a wall onto the top of Pen-Pen's fridge then slid down into the wastebasket; at least that was her intention. Misato's aim actually managed to place the can into the sink via clanking off the cooker. For a moment she grinned sheepishly at her own ineptitude before shaking her head again much more vigorously and recomposing herself.

"I thought that was the problem, but, if you knew..."

"...Then why bother asking her?" Asuka interrupted, "Well, I wanted her to tell me. Tell me why she deserted the stupid Third Child. I wanted to hear the reason from her own mouth, to see if there really is anything beyond that exterior of hers. To tell me, prove to me I was wrong."

"You are." Misato said quietly, "That's why I wanted to talk."

"What could you possible know that I don't? I WAS THERE!"

"But I saw something you could not Asuka, it's important you listen to me."

And so Misato told her everything, everything she needed to know about what had happened and some she probably would not have wanted to hear. She told Asuka about what Commander Ikari had done, what Rei had done so that Shinji could get help. Then Misato told her young charge about where Rei had been ever since, the fallout of Asuka's outburst by Shinji's bedside. Asuka seemed to freeze, she didn't move not even for breathing but inside her a voice she had all but forgotten from her dream the night before suddenly began whispering in her mind.

_How will he react if he knew what had happened?_

_What if he already knew?_

And Asuka bolted out of the door before Misato could ask what was wrong.

******_The All Too Familiar_**

Two eyes opened and the final red mark on a computer display of vital signed disappeared, being replaced by a soothing and all too welcome green light.

"An unfamiliar ceiling... another unfamiliar ceiling."

Shinji raised his head with some difficulty and looked around, finding he was alone his head dropped back down onto the hard feather pillow. He sighed, remembering the events of what he only believed to be the previous evening.

"Asuka. Rei. Misato. Father... What are you afraid of?"

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**ArchangelUK 0:o)**

******_Omake_**

Gendo smirked, "Rei... We're finished here."

"Yes sir."

"Let's eat."

"Understood." Rei stoicly replied as the LCL began to drain from the tube, the Commander turned to leave.

"I will let you dress."

" You require the usual Commander?"

Gendo stopped as if thinking, "No... The French Maid uniform tonight."

Rei sighed in happiness, "Yes sir."

...And Ritsuko collapsed...

******_Omake 2_**

Fuyutski changed his grip on his mug and it slipped out of his hand, plummeting downwards. A scream came from below, as they both looked over the balcony to see the poor un-named non-descript NERV tech that had be drenched in piping hot coffee. He was already being treated for burns by some medical staff, but he was not the only one. For a certain Lt Ibuki had been walking past as well and had been knocked out by a falling mug. Fuyutski looked over at Kaji and uttered three simple words; that handful of words and the look on Fuyutski's face would haunt Kaji until the end of his days.

"That was fun."

******_Omake 3_**

The restaurant was busy, Gendo turned his head towards his dinner partner "You want desert Rei?"

"Yes."

"Oh? You don't usually."

"I thought it best to... experiment."

"Hmm." Gendo mumbled, openingly planning the best way of getting the spaghetti sauce out of his best trousers. The sweet trolley arrived and Rei selected an entire lemon torte.

Gendo blinked, "Are you sure about this?"

Rei didn't answer but instead stood up and raised the torte above her head.

"Rei?"

"I wish to experiment by flinging this in your face and observing the reaction, Pilot Sohryu suggested this was a classic example of humour."

"R-Rei..." Gendo was silenced by the sudden rapid application of the torte to his face.

Rei tilted her head, "This is humorous... I do not understand. But I... feel something."

Gendo gave a muffled reply of "What?"

"I feel like I enjoyed it. I also feel I want to say something..."

Gendo folded his hands despite having a torte attached to his face, "And that would be?"

"I feel like saying - 'That's for hurting Shinji you bastard.' and doing this." She proceeded to tips a gravy boat full of pasta sauce over Gendo's head, "An odd sensation... cheque please."


	7. Commitment

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Apologies once more for the time between updates but I'm afraid that it is something you'll just have to get used to. PS, anyone notice how un co-operative FF.net is being at the moment with uploads in general? You can no longer put hyphens or brackets in titles or chapter titles and less and less HTML effects can be used now. I don't think I can do my trademark 25% horizontal bars. So I've got to do it slightly differently from now on. Idiots!**_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own a Gekigenger III plushy toy! Ah, drat wrong anime...._

**Part 7: Commitment**

_"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."   
~ Matthew 6:34 ~ _

**_[And The Doctor Made A House Call]_**

It was dark, very dark indeed.

In the Katsuragi household a figure stumbled around in the darkness, cursing at its clumsiness so as to not wake those sleeping. It was searching, searching for something very important to it. Bags and belongings were turned out onto the nearest flat surface to find the treasure of this quest and eventually the figure found it and smiled. A Nokia 9210. The phone had rung during the middle of the night and a semi-sober, half-asleep Misato proceeded to answer it.

"Bmmmwah?"

"Misato? I'm assuming that's you."

"Oh it's you Ritsuko." She said between yawns, "What do you want it's..." She fumbled around for a clock or watch or something, her hand finally closing around the desk clock and she flicked the light switch on with her elbow. "... Half past three. Wait a minute, half past three? As in 03:30 AM? Can't it wait until tomorrow Ritsuko, what type of person calls someone at half past three!"

"Well for a start it's half past four, the clocks went forward an hour yesterday in compliance with Global Standard Time."

"Half past four? As in 04:30 AM?" On the other end of the line Ritsuko audibly sighed and shook her head.

"I did TELL you several times they were all going forward, I suppose it's because Shinji isn't there to change them all for you. I don't really see Asuka changing all the clocks in the house." Doctor Akagi flipped through her Hello Kitty memo book, specifically to the most recent additions. Three of the seven were to remind Misato about the time shift, two were about finding the time to buy a new dress, one was Maya's new mobile telephone number and the other was when she was to 'meet' with the Commander. She cursed under her breath that she hadn't changed the number in her address book and holding the receiver between her head and shoulder scrabbled around in her handbag for the book. There was always the chance she'd forget and it would be thrown away and she couldn't afford to not be in possible contact with her right hand woman twenty-four hours a day.

"Ritsu!" Misato whined, "I've been busy!"

"This probably explains why you were late by two hours instead of the usual one hour this morning."

"But it's morning now!" She whined again, stamping her foot petulantly.

"Somehow I didn't think you'd want to wait to hear this news."

"What news?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Sometimes you're so childish, you know that? It's to do with Shinji."

Misato tensed, all trace of laze and sleep vanished instantly. A weight, almost like that of a large stone appeared in her stomach along with a terrible sense of dread. "Shinji? What's happened to him! Is he okay?"

"Easy, easy!" She ordered, "Calm down!"

"Tell me he's alright Ritsuko! Please, tell me he's alright!"

"Jeez, you really got attached to that kid didn't you."

"Got?" Misato sobbed, "GOT?"

Ritsuko blinked then realised her error. "Oh damn, sorry Misato that's not what I meant. I got a call from the hospital staff about an hour ago, Shinji's regained consciousness and is on the mend."

A full half minute passed before quiet sobbing could be heard on the other end.

"Are you okay Misato?"

"Yeah I'm fine, I'll be over ASAP. Thanks Ritsu."

"No problem kid, I'll see you there soon."

"Thank you, bye." Misato hung up the phone and dashed to her wardrobe to pull on some clothes. "Asuka!"

**_[A Recovery]_**

  
"Ikari!"

"Hey Asuka." Shinji sat up and pushed himself off of the bed with reassuring ease, Asuka smiled but only a little. Walking over she wagged her finger in his face.

"You should be resting baka."

"I'm fine Asuka, there's no need to worry."

"Worry? Why would the great Asuka Langley Sohryu need to worry about some idiot like you?"

"Oh, then why are you the first one in here and not Misato?" He teased, wrapping the equivalent to a hospital kimono around him and brushing his tousled hair. Unseen the Second Child blushed, though it was hidden by the rest of her face that was also red - but red with fury.

"Because Misato's busy reporting to the Vice-Commander your condition you twit."

"Oh, okay." Shinji looked over his shoulder and gave her a sheepish if not nervous grin, thankfully for him the grin was infectious and the red head found herself smiling back though to Shinji it was more like a smirk. He busied making himself more presentable before he actually found where they'd put his clothes so he could check out of this place. Asuka sat down and waited as patiently as she could for him to finish, eventually curiosity got the better of her and she stood up then walked over to his side.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure of what?"

"That you're okay?" Shinji could hear the sincerity in her voice and smiled warmly at her.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"Oh." She tossed her hair as if the answer wouldn't have made any difference either way. "In that case..." She grabbed the collar of the gown either side and spun Shinji so he was leaning more or less backwards over the bed. "Don't worry Misato like that again you jerk!"

Shinji gulped, "G-Gomen."

"Good." Asuka relinquished her grip and helped him upright, of course what she'd meant by that really was 'don't scare me like that again' but the answer was all she needed to hear. The word sorry, he was back. "So what do you want to do today Shinji?"

"I really think I should go to school."

"School?"

"Yes, I haven't been in a while." Shinji despite all the work he did in the gap while the other students went off to the hot springs on their field trip for two weeks was already behind on this term and any more time off with injuries wasn't going to help him academically.

"Oh well I suppose if you want to we'd best get going."

"Asuka it's five in the morning." A pillow hit him in the back of the head.

"I know that - idiot!"

The door opened and Ritsuko walked in with a clipboard under her arm and a nurse behind her.

"Hello Shinji, Asuka, nice to see you up and about."

"Hi Ritsuko."

"Shinji I need you to run some tests with your Eva in the test plug, we need to check your synch ratio hasn't been too badly effected by your incident."

"I see."

"Asuka you're welcome to stay but Shinji probably won't be out until about eight, it'd probably be best if you went home for now and got some shut eye. Shinji-kun will be out for school so he'll see you there."

"Now I know this twit's okay I don't have to worry about being woken up by Misato yelling again."

"Okay. I'll let you get dressed Shinji, here's a new plug suit and I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Very well." The boy groaned and picked the blue plastic package off the bed, Asuka left with Doctor Akagi but waited outside the door. Five minutes later Shinji walked out in his plug suit, together Third and Second walked down to the test bay. Asuka studied Shinji's face out of the corner of her eye and decided that something was up.

"What's up Third Child?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing."

Asuka looked at the smile Shinji gave on reflex, now Asuka was an expert when it came to false or fake smiles. She'd been doing them long enough to warrant such a status and Shinji's smile was very forced. She looked beyond that and saw something in his eyes when he looked at her; she almost paused in mid-step as a result. He looked... disappointed with her.

"Well something's up."

"Have... you apologised yet?"

"What?"

"Apologised."

"Apologised?"

"To Rei." The corridor felt very small and cold all of a sudden, Asuka swallowed and she found the sensation was painful like she was trying to swallow shards of glass.

"I... don't know what you're talking about." The guilt flowed in waves that battered against her hard resolve; unwillingly she found her defenses crumbling under Shinji's look. It wasn't anger, it wasn't happy or jovial, and it wasn't sad or even vindictive - just disappointed. It was as though she'd betrayed him somehow, betrayed his trust.

"Hmm." Shinji opened the lab door and looked the deflated girl up and down. "Don't you?"

And the door closed behind him, leaving Asuka to simply stare at the hardened steel.

**_[An Apology]_**

Much later, Asuka was still staring at the metal door.

"Excuse me."

"Huh?"

"You're in my way." Asuka turned around and blue eyes found them staring into red ones.

"Rei?"

"Please move Pilot Sohryu."

"Rei, before you go anywhere can we talk?"

"I have business to attend to."

"Yeah, I know but please?"

"Be brief." Rei said bluntly, "I am needed."

"Okay, look I've talked to Misato and I now know what you did to help Shinji. I'm sorry Rei, I didn't know."

_There, that wasn't so bad was it?_

_Oh shut up!_

Rei stood there a few moments, her expression unreadable, before pressing the door button and walking past Asuka. The door closed once more and the Second Child was left on her own. Once more Asuka was alone, she leant against the door and whispered it once more.

"I'm... sorry."

  
The Commander would not be pleased with her when he found out what she had done. Indeed it would be interesting as a scientist to analyse what his reaction would be for someone who was rather unemotional yet at the same time hid so burning a passion. The passion for Yui, she grazed her teeth over her bottom lip then rolled her tongue around her mouth. Always it was Yui even when he was with her, but she didn't care, she could fool herself into thinking it didn't matter to her. Nevertheless she found this little betrayal, considering all he had done to her and them altogether most satisfying. The chairperson of Project E watched as the two plugs were activated, the results in all honesty were unimportant. She doubted Shinji's synch ratio would change much despite all that had gone on, indeed there were fluctuations but she put these down to realising he wasn't alone and possible thoughts about his father.

She chuckled lightly as Shinji failed to notice she was speaking to him, it seemed he was being distracted.

"If you could concentrate on _my_ window Mister Ikari."

"Gomen Ritsuko." The boy looked downwards in embarrassment; the Doctor gave him a sympathetic smile.

"No apology necessary Shinji, I understand but try and concentrate on the job at hand for now."

"O-Okay."

"How are things with the link up?"

"No problems, something feels a bit strange but I think that's to do with me not testing for a few days." There was a buzzing sensation at the back of his head like a hornet had flown into his ear and was trying to burrow into his brain. It wasn't painful though, more irritating, it was coming from Unit 01 so he assumed there was something abnormal with the link. He explained this thoroughly to the Doctor and she stroked her chin.

"I see." Ritsuko noted this down as well as the time and present synch ratio.

"How are my results?"

"Pretty good actually, you're closing in on Asuka now."

"Really?" Shinji was surprised, and somewhat nervous of this.

"Yes." Ritsuko brought up a graph on the screen and relayed it to the test plug, it showed the three pilots test results for the past twelve weeks, Asuka had climbed only slightly while Rei seemed to climb five percent every four weeks then level out. He on the other hand had apparently been climbing untold numbers of points in very little time. He was now only three behind Asuka and the way he was progressing Shinji was sure that it wouldn't be long before he went past her. He gulped, then they'd be trouble.

"I see."

"It's very impressive." Ritsuko turned to the other screen, "You've improved slightly too. That's excellent."

"Roger." Came the calm reply.

"Well that's all for now, you two get changed and have a good day at school."

The test plugs emptied their LCL contents and Shinji exited his plug coughing up the liquid from his lungs as usual. Oddly enough his chest didn't seem to hurt any more, he made his way off to find a changing cubicle some where in this complex. He didn't know where his test partner had gone too but he was sure they'd catch up later. He cursed whoever thought it was a good idea to dispense with the pilot's changing room. What was slightly puzzling him though was the buzzing sensation he felt, he almost felt angry because of it. He shook his head and entered a free room. 

  
Evangelion Unit One, Test Type model

It stood silent and more importantly still yet Ritsuko couldn't help staring into its eyes expecting them to ignite into yellow flame, for the demon to break free and destroy everything in its path. She looked down at the notes she had made and a printout of Shinji's synchrograph and made a few scribbles as to things she wanted to do tomorrow. That was tomorrow though and there wasn't any need for that now as sleep beckoned. Besides she needed to be fresh for dress shopping in the afternoon. She turned and left, her heels making a gentle _rat-ta-tat_ on the floor as she went. 

Inside Unit One however things were not static, they were not okay and they certainly weren't calm. A presence only distinguishable on a level of reality understandable to Angels was by all account fuming, there was a very dark red almost maroon colour on the outside of Unit One's consciousness. This was the result of its genetic creation; it was a consciousness describable only as pseudo-angelic - not exactly real, not exactly fake. It was the soul of the Evangelion, before anything else had been done to it. It was to all account the will of Adam if not the personality of him. It was certainly the determination and the fighting spirit, the primal nature that resided deep within all beings even those of the seventeen messengers of God. Cocooned inside this shell of red however was another presence that was a swirling mass of purple and red mixed in with flashes of brown on occasions. It whirled around like some demented twister bolts of colour and sound flying out of it whenever it growled or cursed his name. When the Eva had linked with the mind of it's pilot it allowed the pilot to control the movements of the creature but in return the Eva could see the boy's thoughts, feel his memories and like the boy could feel that which the Eva could on some sort of level it too could 'feel' what Shinji was feeling.

The Evangelion knew now all that had happened, and the two presences inside were less than enthralled with that which had befallen Shinji Ikari. The twister whirled faster, bashing against the red confines of what to all accounts was it's prison and through the anger one picture swam into focus. It was of a man perhaps in his early to mid forties, with gloves and tinted glasses and a barely visible smirk on his face. Words formed, words screamed from the very depths of the second soul that resided within Unit 01.

**_"YOU BASTARD, YOU WILL PAY!"_**

And had Ritsuko stayed where she was, staring into its eyes expecting them to ignite into yellow flame, she would have seen exactly that. Yui Ikari was not a happy bunny.

**_[Tomorrow...]_**

The door closed behind them and the silence between the two was broken.

"You are well."

"Yes." He smiled, she gave the ghost of a smile back but it was enough to tell him everything. Rei nodded in acceptance of his answer then turned back to face the elevator wall. A nervous if not anxious silence followed, permeated only by the faint but nevertheless industrial hum of the lift.

"I have to see my father tomorrow."

"I know."

"Do you know why?" Shinji whispered, stepping forward slightly.

"There is no need to whisper Pilot Ikari, there are no listening devices in here."

"Oh." Shinji blushed slightly, unseen by the blue haired enigma. "Wait a minute there are listening devices?"

"I... assumed you knew."

"No I didn't - where? At my house?"

Rei sighed inwardly and berated herself for her slip; she turned to face him again. Shinji was taken aback somewhat and backed up but Rei just returned the distance between them to what it had been only a few seconds ago.

"I do not know for certain, but I doubt their existence at your residence. Do not worry yourself further Shinji."

"O-Okay." Shinji looked very timid, mentally he was thinking about how ridiculous he was being. Rei was talking to him - this was good, now all he needed to do was lose the little mouse act and he'd be fine around her. 

"Rei, what should I talk to my father about?"

"I think you should be honest with him."

"Because he is my Father?"

"Because he is he and you are you." Oddly enough that made sense to Shinji, he was also very pleased by the fact Rei was able to see he and his father were two completely different people.

"Thank you Rei."

"Have you been watching me because you wanted to ask me that question?"

"Mmmhmm." Shinji nodded, Rei looked him up and down briefly, his shoulders were slumped seemingly resigned to defeat. Defeat about what Rei wasn't entirely sure, but she blinked at his noticeable lack of confidence around her. Maybe it was the enclosed space she surmised, but then the Section 2 files did not include information that said the Third Child was claustrophobic. So wrapped up in determining his discomfort was Rei, she did not notice that Shinji had asked her a question until he repeated it.

"Well?"

"I... don't understand." Her mouth said automatically.

"Well, you know I was just wondering that's all. We could practice anytime you like really."

"The piano?"

"Of course." A small sparkle appeared in Rei's eyes, which became more pronounced when Shinji gingerly reached down into his bag, and produced a set of sheet music. Yellow highlighted marks and small notes were made in Shinji's overly neat handwriting, overlaying bar and stave alike.

"These are for me?"

"I said I would get you a set made, these are yours to study and do with what you will."

"T-Thank you." She stammered.

"No problem." Shinji grinned and Rei turned around blushing lightly but successfully hiding her rose coloured cheeks from the other pilot. The elevator stopped and both disembarked, they said their goodbyes and made their separate ways back home, promising to meet up for Rei's first lesson the day after next. As she walked Rei held the notes close to her chest, as though frightened something might happen to them if she did not know they were completely safe and with her.

_Thank you. Words I've never used before._

_Not even with him._

  
The school day went, night came and then the new day. Shinji had found it difficult to sleep knowing what was to come after school this afternoon. Asuka and Misato had been up late discussing dresses or something, apparently Asuka was going on a date with somebody as a favour to Hikari. Breakfast seemed to fly by, maybe because he wasn't in the mood to eat anything but that was probably because it was Misato's turn to cook.

  
"Well?"

"Bye!"

"See ya!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaark...." Came the downcast reply as the Katsuragi household door slid closed on Pen Pen. The penguin sighed, he was a smart penguin as penguins go and he couldn't understand why he couldn't go out and have some fun. He knew the one known as Shinji-kun was having some kind of anniversary today, something he mentally associated with a party and lots of cake. And fish. And beer. Not only that but Misato-chan was going to a wedding, which he knew from TV soap operas to be both lavish and interesting affairs followed by parties and food and gifts. And beer... And maybe some fish. Asuka-oni, he shuddered at the name, was just going to school today and that's all. So at least she wasn't having any cake or partying or anything like that.

No, wait a minute. The penguin thought, she was going on a date to a funfair tonight - Curses! Pen Pen scowled, or the nearest possible expression to a scowl with a beak. Less than impressed by the thought given to him by his owners the bored bird waddled off to the fridge. If he wasn't going to a party then at least he'd have something to drink. Some food. And beer. And maybe some fish...

**_[A Classroom Exercise]_**

Shinji looked out of the window and wondered if perhaps he should leave, leave this place, leave Tokyo-3. Reasons he had many, choices though he had very few of. Shinji knew he could not leave behind the people and friends he loved. He sighed, his ribs complaining at the sudden expulsion of air and the customary twinge of pain shot through his body.

Today was the day.

His heart gave it's own ache in return to his ribs, for today was the anniversary of his mother's death. He would visit her grave and he would be there, his father, the Commander. Subconsciously Shinji covered his wound with his free hand and resumed scrubbing the classroom floor. As he rubbed and scrubbed at the hardened plastic surface his thoughts switched to Asuka. What was wrong with her? Was she still just a child herself? Shinji had long ago decided thanks to his living arrangements with the one woman brewery that was Major Misato Katsuragi and the red headed German time bomb also known as Asuka Langley Sohryu that the female species should be left well alone. However he couldn't help wonder what Asuka and Rei were thinking about right now.

"AHHHHHHH! HELP ME KAJI! GET OFF ME YOU PERVERT! AHHHH!"

Shinji had practically got to the door before he heard the name 'Kaji', then he realised it was Asuka's attention seeking side rearing it's somewhat loud head again. Hikari looked at him and he shook his head before walking back to his bucket full of soapy water. The class representative rolled her eyes and marched out to find what the hell had just happened. As he kneeled down, Shinji caught sight of Rei as she dipped a washcloth into an all but identical bucket.

There was something about watching her do something very normal; almost menial that made Shinji smile on the inside. There was a familiarity as such that he couldn't put his finger on, this was heightened when she removed the white coloured cloth (now more cream coloured with use) and wringed it out. Twisting it forward with her left hand and towards her with her right droplets of liquid collated at the centre and fell into the small pool below.

Rei looked so sad for some reason that made Shinji frown, this frown deepened when he imagined the beads of liquid falling from her beautiful red eyes. Two orbs of unmistakable clarity clouded by unhappiness, he felt anger well up within him - Was Asuka the cause of this? Was his father? NERV? Him?

_This girl deserves to be happy, more than anyone else._

"Hey!" Shinji was suddenly aware of a prickly thing whopping him in the head with sufficient force to knock him backwards onto his bottom. Before him stood Touji, who held two brooms in a martial arts position one of which occupied the space his head HAD been. "Get back to your work!" The stooge demanded as Kensuke shrugged and returned to playing with his model NERV jet and his camera. Touji was about to chastise him again for his obvious staring at Ayanami when Hikari's head shot back into view through the door.

"Why don't _**you**_ get back to work Touji?!"

Touji held his pose for a few more seconds then his arms slumped in defeat.

**_[A Wedding]_**

"And by the power vested in me by the First Church of Tokyo-2 I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

The two kissed and Misato sighed, another one of her friends married off to some guy with a lot of money and intelligence and he was probably kinder that any boyfriend she'd ever had. She scowled, there weren't many left now, not many singles at all from her University friends just Ritsuko, herself, Risu, Carli and Tursa. She couldn't believe so many had packed in the batchelorette life they'd all so enjoyed and settled for a joint life starting with this mockery of a celebration which only succeeded in providing you with multiple dinner plates and his and hers bathrobes. Even the miserable Senko was married to some rich businessman who worked for the Japanese government - and Senko was ugly as sin! Perhaps there was someone out there for her, after all she had believed that once.

The church was very modern, there was nothing there to signal it was a church except for a rather basic font that more like some kind of sink and the vicar who stood behind the kissing couple. Since the Angels arrived the fundamentals of Religion in general had been thrown into disarray, most were Atheist anyway in belief but were now confronted with the truth that not only did the Almighty exist he was so pleased with his human race he would send 17 messengers to try and wipe them and everything else from the face of the planet. Understandably this would challenge the faith of even the most devoutly religious man. As such there was no patterns on the stained glass, no crosses visible anywhere, crosses nowadays meant a weapon shot from the enemy powerful enough to vaporise buildings and punch through thousands of metres of solid rock and armoured plating. Every reference to Heaven and God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost had been removed from the service. Everyone was gathered here in 'the hearts of those here present and by the jurisdiction, authority and spirit of the Japanese nation and its people'. 

Misato found herself being dragged along by the weeping Doctor Akagi to bid congratulations to the happy couple. She tried to say something important that was both poignant and would stay with them throughout their lives, however long they would be. Sadly, she found herself lacking in spontaneous worldly wisdom and so instead grinned stupidly while shaking their hands and decreeing "Congrats guys!" with way too much enthusiasm to be considered healthy. Ritsuko, now only slightly teary eyed gushed her own congratulations before saying it was too beautiful and bursting into tears again which set the bride off and the two old friends embraced each other in floods whilst Major Misato Katsuragi - Director of Operations at NERV stood there grinning like an idiot.

**_[An Anniversary]_**

"It's been three years since we were last here together."

"..." Shinji Ikari didn't respond, he was trying to pretend his father wasn't here but then again he'd been trying to pretend he had some self worth and enjoyed his life for years and had failed miserably at that. He chose not to answer instead, he had nothing to say to the man who had put him in a hospital bed for several days.

"That's when you ran away."

"..."

"Wasn't it?"

"..."

"It's man's way of survival to bury memories Shinji, if that is what you're trying to do."

"..."

Time passed slowly.

"My Mother, something tells me she isn't here."

"She's not."

"An artifice?"

"Sadly." Though the Commander's voice didn't exactly seem to be weighed down by sadness at the thought. "Nothing remains"

"I can't even remember her face, and you have no photographs."

"No."

"Why am I not surprised." Shinji muttered.

"I keep everything in my heart, I'm satisfied with that."

"Well, that's you Father. You're all heart."

"Yui taught me _Third Child_, that there are some things we should never forget that is why I come here each year to confirm that commitment." Gendo accentuated the words 'Third Child' so Shinji knew exactly what he was indicating. He would not call him by name because he wasn't good enough to deserve that, Shinji straightened.

"There are some things people should bury, and also some they should never forget. Yet there are also some that cannot be buried for the constant reminder and though wanted gone can never be removed. It is in that respect that there are things no matter how precious that will be forgotten in time." A NERV jet came into view on the horizon behind Shinji, he did not see it like he could not see his Father or the sun overhead, nor did he hear it but he could sense it almost imperceptibly close in on them. Like he could sense his mother was no here, not buried in the ground before him. "I'm leaving now... Father."

"Indeed."

"Say hello to Rei for me."

**_[A Reception]_**

"Hello ladies." The dulcet tones of Ryoji Kaji assaulted Misato's ears and she inwardly shuddered, she so did not want to deal with him now.

"You're late." She responded flatly, not even bothering to look up and reaching for her third glass of wine. It wasn't the best wine in the world and it sure as hell wasn't Yebisu but it was doing the job, the familiar warm feeling in her stomach providing both comfort and confidence.

"Indeed." Kaji pulled up a seat despite the fact he already had one, then sat down next to Misato. He frowned briefly at his nameplate, which had 'mysteriously' been turned face down then poured two glasses of wine. Misato, thinking he was giving one to Ritsuko still did not bother to look up. "Sorry, but I had a little difficulty getting out of work."

"I find that difficult to believe seeming as though you don't actually do anything." Misato looked up, "You could have at least taken the time to shave that awful stubble!" Her violet eyes snapped down to his messy collar, she sighed in both anger and exasperation. "Your tie is cr - Maya?"

Misato suddenly realised why Ritsuko hadn't been speaking, her jaw was doing the same as Misato's was now - hanging loosely in mid air. Sitting next to Kaji (whom she had now noticed) was one Maya Ibuki wearing the most gorgeous and breathtaking midnight blue two-piece dress the Major had ever seen. She looked dumbfounded at the young Lieutenant and pointed between the two newcomers.

"Y-You?" She managed too stammer out, "You t-two?" Maya flushed red and Kaji laughed lightly, taking a sip of wine before explaining.

"No no, nothing like that."

"Then...?"

"Well you see I owed young Maya a bit of an apology for something that happened a few days back."

"WHAT was this 'something'?"

"Oh just a mild misunderstanding." Kaji insisted shaking a finger, Maya nodded but giving Kaji a very obvious look that said he wasn't entirely off the hook yet. Kaji swallowed, "Well as I owed her-"

"-_Significantly_ owed." Maya corrected, Kaji nodded in complete agreement. It had taken an entire afternoon of persistent apologising for... that incident... to be forgiven enough to be deemed a reply by the fair Miss Ibuki. Not only that he'd succeeded in convincing Aoba and Hyruga that he was harassing the young Tech, had it not been for Maya's interruption the two would have jumped him.

"Significantly owed her, I asked her yesterday if she wanted to come as my date, er, guest for the wedding. After all the invite did say Mr. Kaji plus one, so this is my plus one." The dark haired man grinned.

"So she's not your date?" Misato asked, though it sounded more like she was insisting.

"No I'm not his date. Who'd date this guy?" Maya said then clamped her hands around her mouth, Misato's raised eyebrow trembled with suppressed rage. "Gomen." The female tech muttered, leaning as far back away from the feisty Major as possible.

"Maya?" Ah, Ritsuko had regained the power of speech. "Y-You look amazing!" Maya had been crimson before but now was rapidly turning beetroot red to the tips of her ears. Misato's anger was suddenly quenched by reference to 'that' dress, the Major looked Maya up and down.

"Sempai(!)" Maya gave a little squeak of embarrassment.

"She's right Maya you look fantastic."

"T-Thank you Major."

"Oh Misato's fine, we're out of work now." She eyed Kaji's tie, which was still not straight. "Those of us who actually do any."

"Of course I work." Kaji said slightly stiffly, "How do you think I could afford this ravishing a company?" He gestured with his hand at his three companions, Ritsuko rolled her eyes.

"Then you should take some pride in your appearance fuzzy face." Misato stuck out her tongue, then yanked Kaji's neckpiece into correct alignment.

"You two fight like you're married." Ritsuko giggled, Kaji leaned close to Misato's shoulder but addressed the Doctor.

"You're very astute Ritsipoo."

Misato blinked twice, then said deadpan as you like. "Who'd marry this bum?"

Maya and Ritsuko could see hurt flash across his eyes but the rest of his face gave away no such betrayal, Kaji simply shrugged and sipped at his drink. Misato did the same and leant on her hand, elbow firmly on the table.

"You know it's rude to do that." Kaji said teasingly, "Bad manners don't become you Misato." Ritsuko had to stop herself from choking as white wine threatened to go up her nose.

**_[Solos]_**

Rei was not on the jet with Gendo Ikari, she had other things to do. Pulling up the stool she stretched her fingers in the way she'd seen Shinji stretch his and began to slowly perform a few warm up exercises on the keys in front of her. A run through of the scales, in doing so she found that the piano was not tuned sufficiently and she made a mental note that she should have personnel see to it as soon as possible. She also tried to perform a small piece that Shinji had included to help her practice the layout of her hands and the notes. The piece was called 'Three Blind Mice' and only featured a handful of notes, the story that went with the music she didn't quite understand though. What purpose could a trio of visually challenged rodents have in running towards an enemy? Why would they still be alive anyway if they were so blind?

She cleared her throat and began to play.

It wasn't long before she made her first mistake.

_My first mistake._ She thought of Asuka, smiling at her walking through the school with her and then yelling at her in Shinji's hospital room. _No, not my first. My first was to trust, trust someone who did not understand me._

_"I'm sorry Rei, I didn't know."_ There was a dull 'thonk' noise as she hit another wrong note.

_No, not my first mistake. _The vision of the dejected and rejected Asuka still fresh in her mind, contrasting with the angry Asuka she'd seen that day after the incident between Shinji and his father. _Not my first either way. Now I have to see whether I make a third._

Three blind mice, a bit like the three pilots, having to trust in something they didn't understand to fight something they didn't understand.

_Yet we can't even seem to understand each other before that._

_Three blind mice,  
Three blind mice,  
See how they run,  
See how they run,  
They all faced up to the Angel's strife,  
And cut off it's tail with a progressive knife,  
Have you ever seen such a thing in your life,  
As three blind mice?_

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Please feel free to review. In the next part : A kiss, or may be not. Homeostasis and Transistasis. Teachers and pupils, pupils and teachers and the attack of Leliel.  
  
Also new Evangelion one shot posted "Only You" - a dramatic/angsty/romancy Shinji/Rei thing-me-do.  
  
_**_ArchangelUK 0:o)  
_**


	8. Prelude Of Change

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Once more a big gap between chapters, apologies but I was suffering from major writers block combined with the fact I realised I had to get a lot of events out of the way in this chapter before the next angel actually arrives. Naturally this chapter is truly huge as a result and is being sliced in two. Also this part should clarify the fact this is not a strict Shinji/Rei or Shinji/Asuka, in fact its more of a Shinji/??? if you really want to know. Who will be ???, I know but then again I'm not telling.**_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own this small diecast 54:1 scale blue Renault with female driver.  
Micro Misato: *shouts and swears*  
_

**Part 8: Prelude Of Change**

_"Love is patient, love is kind. Is does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth.  
[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."  
~ 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 ~ _

_**[To Play]**_

The flow of water across rocky outcrops, a stream wending its way down a valley surrounded by trees, tall wavering grass and moss covered stumps. Water. A dragonfly skirts over the water's edge an electric blue blur as it dances over and around the plants and trees, a buzzing winged ballerina. It skims over the shimmering surface - but always, ALWAYS the water.

Shinji's eyes were closed, his fingers lightly pressed down the strings as he kept his old Sensei's words in his head. The bow moved in fluid strokes, each touch sending vibrations coursing down the wire, each and every vibration causing a ripple to expand outwards in the water - always the water. The music flowed from the cello just like he had been taught and he kept the notes crisp and clean yet retaining a freshness to the composition so it didn't choke on the dust of it's own age.

Unbeknownst to Shinji he had an audience, he was dimly aware that Pen-Pen was listening from within his fridge. The red crested penguin was, if Shinji had seen him in an almost trance like state and had he observed further he would have noted it was unnervingly similar to the one that Ayanami had seemingly fallen into. However, the door was closed as were his eyes and so that connection fell away into the forgotten annals of History. Sometime in the future Shinji would realise if he had made that connection then a lot of things that were would have never come to pass. Time, (much of such a valuable commodity, and so crucial to everything) would have been saved enough to buy the entire human race a better chance for a future.

Yet, at this precise moment it was not to be.

As I had said, it was unbeknownst to Shinji he had an audience though he was aware of the resident bird. What he wasn't aware of was the human presence standing in the doorway, the first indication he got of this was when his bow drew across the strings on the final note of the piece and he sighed in satisfaction. Clapping filled his ears, turning towards the source of the applause Shinji found himself looking at a smiling Asuka. The Second Child was dressed in the long turquoise dress he had seen her admiring in a Tokyo-3 shop window some weeks ago. He mentally gagged as he remembered exactly how much that dress had cost, but kept his facial expression surprised. Asuka ceased her applause and stepped inside the apartment;

"That was very nice Shinji." Shinji looked downwards slightly embarrassed, he still wasn't used to getting praise for anything - music or otherwise. Asuka walked over to the kitchen counter opened the 'food' fridge and removed a carton of milk from which she poured herself a glass. "I didn't know you played that as well."

"I started practicing when I was five." Shinji explained, surprised when Asuka handed him a second glass of milk. "Thank you, but I'm still not very good though - I have no talent at all..." He trailed off, Asuka laid down on her futon.

She sighed, "Well, perseverance wins the battle. I'm impressed!"

"I only started because my teachers told me to, but, I could've quit at anytime."

"So why didn't you?"

"Nobody... told me to stop I guess."

"Huh. I should've known." Scoffed Asuka and rolled her eyes.

"You're back early, I thought you had a date this evening?"

"Yeah, but he was more boring than you so while he waited in line for the roller coaster I took a train back here."

And he WAS boring, Kodama's friend he may be and he might very well have begged and begged Hikari to set them up but the medical student looked like Kensuke's scrawny kid brother acted like Touji's evil twin and had the emotional range of a stoic Rei Ayanami. Unsurprisingly this would be the last blind date she would ever, ever, participate in. Hikari owed her big time for what she put her through, no doubt she'd ask a whole ton of questions but as far as she was concerned the next Angel could squash 'Dr Stoogenstein' for all she cared. In reality it had been a relief to get home to where she at least could find some solace in her room, the fact she had come in to find Shinji busy playing his cello was an added bonus.

Shinji frowned, "That's kinda cold..."

Asuka glanced at him out the corner of her eye and sighed theatrically, "Kaji's the only real man in my life!"

She took a couple of seconds to examine his cello, as she expected it was in immaculate condition. The instrument itself was extremely old and she made a mental note never to do anything that might endanger or damage it. It was clearly made by a master; she knew few famous names when it came to instrument makers only the likes of Steinberg for pianos or the great Stradivarius for making violins. Rolling her tongue around in her mouth she tried to remember if he had made cellos as well but that knowledge escaped her. She could only guess at the price such an instrument would be worth.

Shinji put the cello back in his room, placing it down with care. When he came out Asuka was propped up on one elbow watching him. Shinji blinked, "Something wrong Asuka?"

"Oh nothing, I was just wondering where you got that cello from."

"As I understand it my father bought it for me."

"Oh." Asuka would have left it there, she could tell Shinji didn't want to speak of his father by the way his tone darkened, but there was a hint of doubt in what he said. "You don't seem too sure of that."

"Well, it just appeared where I lived one day delivered from Europe. I was only five at the time but I could tell it must've been very expensive; my teacher was as surprised as I was. I can only assume it came from him, there wasn't any note to say otherwise."

"Then, why do you play?"

"Huh?"

"If you hate your father so much why do you continue to play?"

"It's not that I hate him, it's just..." Shinji sighed and looked over towards her, "I don't know, I enjoy it I suppose - that's why."

Asuka smiled warmly, she felt almost proud of him. "Good. To play an instrument Shinji-baka is to enjoy playing, to enjoy playing to others and to enjoy playing something you or another person has written. It's like reaching out to the composer and literally shaking their hand, it's kind of like a respect I suppose." Shinji looked confused, she wagged a finger at him. "It's good that you play because you want to, because that's as it should be."

_**[A Floral Tradition]**_

"He's not bad is he?" Maya had said pointing to the stage with a salad fork, where a portly man was singing a traditional song almost in a gospel style. It was certainly original; indeed it was the most original thing they'd seen so far. The Japanese penchant for karaoke or bizarre forms of entertainment knew no bounds it seemed, they'd so far had a quartet of girls singing a song of good tidings to the happy couple despite the fact they already had done so before the meal had started. A well rounded man who had made a speech regarding well wishes and the steps to eternal happiness, which had sounded at the outset quite relevant.

"You must keep three bags in your heart, one for luck which will keep your wits sharp and your pockets weighted, one for generosity which will keep your address book full and your smile true and one for kindness by whom all are measured."

Of course the man then went on to add several more bags after a moments thought, and the audience started to call out more bags and more bags until there were so many bags anyone carrying them would suffer a coronary.

After he was gracefully whisked off the stage a small page boy no more than seven years old sung the theme tune to some old forgotten anime show that had got a second airing recently on television. It was a sign of the times that everything old was new again, retro was once again the cool thing and for the youth the most important thing in the universe wasn't a 100ft tall monstrous mecha but a small custard yellow mouse. The crowd had applauded politely and the boy took that as a sign they wanted an encore, he was ushered off the stage as quickly as he was ushered on to it.

The rotund man had now finished singing and received nothing short of a standing ovation, Ritsuko whooped and whistled while the man humbly acknowledged their thanks turning to his backing singer - his wife. Misato didn't cheer, she stood but did not clap nor did she smile as the man and his wife bowed to the crowd she looked down at the glass of red wine in her hand and saw her warped reflection in the liquid surface. Not liking what she saw she downed the contents in one then sat back down, as the celebrations continued around her she poured another glass.

If only she could be that happy...

The celebrations had now come to an end, all that was missing was the throw of the bouquet and that was to happen last of all. Ritsuko, Misato and Maya gathered around with all the other single women to see if they could catch it and by wishful tradition be the next lucky young lady to be married. Misato doubted that she could catch anything at this moment except maybe pneumonia from the terribly cold winds that were blowing around outside the hotel where the reception had been.

The groom Shigeru Tenkawa (or Lee as he was now) stood by his bride. Yukina Lee had been the university discus champion and it was well known that despite leading the family life now she had not given up on her physical studies. Naturally because of this the main bulk of the crowd seeking to be the recipient of the bride's flowers were someway back from her. The trio of ladies however were somewhat closer as were a few others who knew just how smart Ritsuko was and wanted to be in the correct place where it would land. A bunch of roses and carnations is not as aerodynamically designed as a discus and therefore as Ritsuko kindly put it would 'not be leaving this hemisphere any time soon'.

Yukina announced she was ready, "Five, four, three, two and a half, two and a quarter..."

"YUKINA!" The crowd yelled, making the bride giggle and hold up a silk-gloved hand to her mouth.

"Just teasing guys - one, ZERO!"

With an almost surreal grace the bride threw the flowers into the air, they flowed through the sky in a graceful arc. Immediately the rear guard realised their mistake and began to rush forward but they were all far too late, as the bouquet had already begun to drop. Down it fell turning over and over until the sheer weight of the flower heads pulled it out of its oscillations. Down into a vast sea of hands that rose up like a tsunami as they leapt into the air. Ritsuko swore as someone used her shoulder to gain a few more centimetres, the move was successful only in overbalancing the Doctor who agonisingly brushed a rose petal with her fingertips as she grasped for her botanic holy grail. The woman who had tried to gain height was pushed backwards and away by Misato's elbow which cheered her up immensely. Misato was one of the tallest there and if it weren't for the onrushing crowd slamming into the small of her back she would have been able to grab hold. Yet down she fell, as the tsunami crashed down on top of her, Ritsuko and Maya who being so small had had very little chance in it all. So the others fell on top of them in one great pile of limbs, which writhed around like some disgruntled stilettoed octopus. The bouquet bounced onto the floor, agonisingly out of reach of Misato's outstretched fingers to roll to a standstill in front of a pair of black shoes. A hand reached down and grabbed the projectile firmly but gently enough not to damage the stems, the victor with spoils now in their possession smiled at the heap of bodies.

"Unlucky ladies."

A chorus of groans both of disappointment and pain filled the air as the 'Bouquet Bundle' members extricated themselves from one another. The biggest groan was reserved for Misato though, the person holding the flowers... was Kaji.

  
**_[Flawed]_**

The First Child sat staring at her hands, something was wrong with them that had to be it. She had been studying Shinji's music solidly for the past seven hours; she had already mastered the piano. The instrument itself was rather rudimentary, she was surprised it had taken a whole three and a half hours to grasp the fundamentals. After all she remembered she had been able to play the prelude from Bach's Partita #3 In E For Solo Violin at a maestros level within eighty minutes of picking up the instrument. She could now play several piano pieces with some skill; the warm up exercises Shinji had given her had been entirely insufficient being surpassed within mere minutes of her first error strewn play of 'Three Blind Mice'. She had then set herself the challenge of playing Shinji's piece herself, and as she followed the music along a mood of annoyance settled upon her. Something was very wrong.

It wasn't that she had made a mistake (she followed the music exactly), but when she played the piece it simply sounded nothing like that which Shinji had played. The music seemed flatter, there was no life in the notes it was like the entire piece was there but dead, stone cold in the ground. So where as Shinji's piece had filled her with joy, her rendition left her depressed and frustrated. That was why she looked at her slim fingers with such contempt; they had denied her the chance to hear the music again.

"Rei."

Rei almost jumped out of her skin, she was sure the area had been empty and as she looked around she saw that was indeed the case. It then occurred to her that the voice had come from the internal communications system and she cast her eyes upwards towards the large black speaker.

"Yes?" She replied in her usual quiet monotone.

"Rei, please come to my office as soon as you can."

"Yes sir." It was Commander Fuyutski...

  
**_[A Kiss, Or Maybe Not]_**

Shinji was resting in his room, a pillow had been placed against the wall and he was leaning against it, his SDAT player soothing his brain with music that was loud enough to blot out all else around him. Pen-Pen, who had sought out the reason why Shinji had stopped playing had waddled into his room and was now lying on Shinji's bed with his wings folded behind his head. The position was unnervingly human and Shinji closed his eyes trying to ward off internal questioning as to whether a normal penguin could even physically do that. Asuka was sitting at the table, her head resting on her arm and her coppery red hair spilling down over her shoulders onto the flat pine surface.

She seemed lost in thought though every so often her eyes would flit from the ceiling to Shinji pause for a brief second then return to a point on the white surface she found most suited her mood. Shinji had taken to ignoring everything that was going on and Asuka was worried her actions had upset the boy - though she couldn't understand why. It wasn't like he knew the guy at all, and he was SO boring. Yet, if that was the case why was he acting like Asuka had slighted him somehow? Why did it seem like he was... disappointed with her.

Her eyes flashed back to the Third Child and she saw him lost in a myriad world of notes and harmonies. Mental blocks so well established nothing could penetrate them, an Angel could land in their living room do a Flamenco dance with a rose in its teeth and paint the entire apartment avocado green for all it was worth. Shinji wouldn't notice and wouldn't care either; nothing would get him out of this zone out. Nothing.

"Hey Shinji, you wanna kiss me?"

What had she just said?

_What did **I** just say?_

_What did **she** just say?_

"Wha-wha what?" Shinji yanked the headphones off his ears so quick he damaged the wire linking the right earpiece.

"Kissing, you know..." Asuka's mouth was acting on its own accord, her brain was not in control of it and there was seemingly nothing she could do to stop it. Electronic signals were screaming down the nerve pathways to halt it but without success. How on earth did that get through to Shinji? A teasing thought of Asukas pushed its way to the front of the jumble of emotions. Why on earth did I say that? Why am I continuing to say that? Why, oh why can't I stop! "Have you ever done it before?"

Shinji suddenly realised how a rabbit must feel when it's caught in the headlights of a car, all he could manage was a - "Yuh-huh."

Now this wasn't exactly an answer, there had been Mana of course who had been his girlfriend (kinda) and they had kissed (sorta) before he and she went their separate ways but this was different. This was Asuka.

**_A S U K A!_**

Touji would skin him alive.  
Misato would kick him out.  
Kensuke would disown him.  
Rei would never speak to him again.  
Hikari would have the whole thing around the school in a blink of an eye.  
He'd never be able to go out again.  
Rivers would turn to blood.  
Seas would boil.  
The sky would fall.  
The Earth would spin off his axis into the sun.  
This was Asuka Langley Sohryu and this was certain redheaded death.

So... why did he want to say yes?

"So let's do it!" 

All of a sudden Shinji-bunny turned into Shinji-pedestrian and the car became a shining blue Renault with a purple haired driver.

"Mwaurgh?"

Asuka's mind screamed at her body's insanity, this was Shinji Ikari she was talking about. Shinji-baka, Shinji-hentai, Sir Stoogealot - Knight of the Three Kingdoms of Stooge! Shinji the wimp, Shinji the coward, er, Shinji the...

For a moment her mind paused as it thought some more; She knew better than that now, she knew the brave Shinji who stood up for his friends, ignored orders if they were wrong, stood up to his father and risked his life to save comrades and kept his promises. Shinji the talented, who could play music the likes of which could warm even the harshest critic's ice-encrusted heart and still pilot an Evangelion in his sleep. Shinji the kind-hearted, Shinji the honest.

She wanted this. She actually really wanted this, for the first time in her life she wanted to kiss someone not because of her childish ideals but because her heart wanted it. Asuka Langley Sohryu wanted, no, needed to kiss Shinji Ikari - she couldn't believe it herself.

_Well done._ A voice said in her mind. _Maybe there is some hope for you yet child._

"What?" Shinji said again, still positive his ears were deceiving him. "But why?"

A good question, Asuka's mind despite the confusion as to where exactly that unfamiliar voice had come from took control of her body again and answered quickly with a smile.

"I've got nothing else to do." Damn. Damn it all. Her mind now back in control Asuka's pride had kicked back in with a vengeance, she saw Shinji's half-terrified half-confused expression shift to include the briefest dash of disappointment.

It wasn't because she wanted to; it was because she was bored.

Blinking twice and with a sad sigh Shinji's battered heart sank back into his chest to lick its wounds once more.

"Oh." He said and put his headphones back on again.

**_[Homeostasis and Transistasis]_**

The bar the NERV quartet had staggered into was perhaps not the best in Tokyo-3, it wasn't the most friendly, it wasn't the cheapest and it sure as hell didn't serve a decent drink. Yet as it was the only one open within a good ten miles Misato had decided that this would have to do. It also served food, and after all the celebrating the little band had decide on a late dinner before the drinking, though Misato had several beverages during this period.

The ladies were now sitting at the bar, Misato was next to Ritsuko and Kaji while Maya occupied the seat to her sempai's right. The NERV assistant was busy slurping her fifth Martini of the evening, Maya laughed overly loudly as the coctail umbrella swivelled around as she went to take a sip. Her mouth being filled with paper and matchstick wood instead of the vodka concotion. Misato rolled her eyes and finished off her own drink, a shot of something particularly vile but with a high enough alcohol content to be a viable alternative to her beloved Yebisu. (Which naturally they didn't have on tap, hence the no decent drink available.) Kaji had been drinking BOA, a low alcoholic alterative to Yebisu that Misato only drank when absolutely neccessary. Like when she had to be absolutely sober the next day or she didn't want to get too blasted and embarrass herself - her surprise promotion party was a good example.

Kaji chuckled, "The way you're downing that drink suggests to me you don't get out that much Maya."

Misato giggled, "Don't listen to him Maya, you'll get into bad habits."

"Such as?" Kaji asked curiously.

"Not shaving, acting all smarmy and superior, never doing any work."

"I do lots of work!" He protested vehemently and not for the first time that evening.

"Yes. Yes we know you do." Ritsuko's look immediately put Kaji on guard, it was one of those times where you knew she was saying something but actually referring to something else. The only problem with Ritsuko was that when she did say something but was referring to something else she made it painfully clear that she was doing it for a purpose. His hand drifted down to his pocket, wherein lay a small velvet bag from his brief excursion to Kyoto earlier that week, maybe this wasn't the time...

Kaji chose to put on his best schoolboy grin, "See, the good Doctor agrees with me. Maya could do well from learning from me, I'll take over as your sempai if you'd like Maya."

Maya raised an eyebrow; "Perhaps I should remind you Kaji that it was precisely that kind of suggestion that got you in trouble with me in the first place."

Misato laughed so hard she almost knocked her drink over, "She's not that drunk yet you know."

"Are you suggesting that I was suggesting?"

"Damn right."

The NERV Special Captain sighed, "I was perfectly serious. She could learn a lot from me and I'm sure I could learn a lot from her. I seem to remember me teaching you a few things in our college days Katsuragi and you certainly did some educating where I was concerned."

"That's because you never went to lectures." Ritsuko smiled and noticing Misato's beetroot face added, "And before you ask yes he was suggesting that time."

Misato got unsteadily to her feet and picked up her handbag, "Well I know it's getting late, but I have to go powder my nose."

"Making a discrete exit?" Misato's response was to stick out her tongue and waddle off in the direction of the ladies, the white heels on her shoes wobbling like a pair of waiters carrying a stack of plates far too high for them to handle. 

_High heels...._

Ritsuko watched this and shaking her head turned to Maya. "You couldn't go and keep an eye on her could you?"

"Shure Shempai." The young tech mumbled, downing her Martini then slamming the glass down on the bar. "You!" She bellowed at the young bar hand, "Another drink!"

"Are you sure Maya?" Kaji asked but the withering look he got in response to his question removed all doubt from his mind about stopping her.

"A tequila slammer!" Maya barked then turned on her heel and tottered off after Misato.

Kaji balked, "Tequila slammers now?"

"What do you think I've been drinking for the last hour?" Ritsuko smiled.

"It's been a while. Since we've been out together I mean."

"She's drinking too much, she's losing her control." She commented.

"Misato or Maya?"

"Both of them. It's surprising, I've never seen Maya like this - so carefree and having fun."

"Sometimes you just have to drink to stay under control - all of us do." Kaji smiled but the smile seemed to falter, "We really should go out more often, after all there could be a time soon when we might never be able to again."

"Yeah, it's been good tonight."

"We should get Maya out more, she seems to enjoy it."

Ritsuko paid for Maya's drink, "Perhaps. If she'd want to."

"Oh, I think she would if you were there."

"You think so?"

"I think she's rather enamoured with you Doctor."

"Well you might say I'm rather enamoured with her, she's an excellent pupil and a wonderful friend."

"Perhaps I should tell Katsuragi to buy another dress."

Ritsuko scowled, "You're suggesting again..." Kaji held up his hands in innocence, but Ritsuko's expression showed no hint in acceptance or belief.

"Who's on duty shift tonight? Command wise I mean, after all if you and Katsuragi are here and so is young Miss Ibuki..."

"I think Lieutentents Aoba and Makoto are on tonight, Sub-Commander Fuyutski is in this evening as well."

"I see." Kaji looked at his watch, "What's taking so long? How much makeup does she have to wear?"

"Oh you know Misato, after all you're the one who used to live with her."

Kaji sighed happily, "Well, that was a lifetime ago, she didn't even own a set of heels back then."

Ritsuko ran a hand through her hair, "That's not the way we saw things back when were in school."

"We were kids Ritsu, that wasn't real, we were just children playing house - it was nice." The sight of Tokyo 3 at night from the window was beautiful, strategically placed lights illuminated the architecture and wherever the eye landed signs of life could be found. The reflections of the bar's neon display surrounded it like some neo-modernistic picture frame. For a moment Kaji reflected on the city, "But life's not that simple."

"Thank you Kaji." Ritsuko lips twitched upwards, she had the distinct feeling what Kaji had just said had cost him something rather precious. Some dream or wish he had been holding onto all these years, maybe just some hope, those had been happy years for them all and it would be easy to say Kaji and Misato were happier at that time than she had ever seen them since. "For being honest."

Kaji's mask of happiness returned, "To the ladies yes, otherwise, er..." He wiggled his hand indicating indecision making Ritsu chuckle.

"I doubt that."

"And I'm sorry if I flew too close to the flames there when I talked about Maya, but you know I'd much rather be burned by the heat of my passion for you."

"Shwould I bwiy you some fwireworks then?" Kaji's ears pricked up as he realised the dynamic drinking duo had returned from their 'powdering session', no doubt having a good gossip at his expense in the process.

"Hello!" He said warmly as Misato took her seat once more, for some reason though Maya continued to stand and after thanking Ritsuko for her drink (and downing it one) continued to stand even if she needed support from the bar itself.

Misato scowled at him, "Ah, you never change do you?"

Kaji smiled and leaned closer, "Of course I change! The act of living is an embracement of change."

"Homeostasis and Transistasis." Ritsuko announced, picking up her handbag from its place on the floor.

"Homgioh-what?" The major slurred and Ritsuko closed her eyes and sighed,.

"One is a force to maintain the present status and the other is a force for constant change. Anything that lives is composed of these two conflicting forces."

A wry smile tugged at the corners of Kaji's mouth, "Like men and women."

"We'll just be taking off now." The doctor stood up and along with Maya got ready to leave.

"Now?" Misato whined, glancing at Kaji out of the corner of her eye.

"Now." She nodded, "We have some work to do early tomorrow morning."

"Oh yeah." Maya frowned, "That encyclical pathways test on the Zero."

"Have fun you two!" Ritsuko winked at them then walked out of the bar arm in arm with Maya, the two work colleagues highly animated as the exited the door.

Misato sighed, "Maybe I should call Shinji then - if we are going to continue drinking."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Kaji said, and handed Misato his mobile.

**_[While My Guitar Gently Sleeps]_**

Time dragged when you're working the graveyard shift, Aoba and Hyruga had been working for eight hours, and their shift finished midway through the red zone the next morning.

"I swear this coffee gets worse." Makoto's face screwed up to the extent he appeared to be sucking on a lemon as he forced himself to swallow the caffinated liquid.

"That's actually freshly ground Colombian Red Bean coffee."

"Yeah, freshly ground when? 1982?"

Aoba chuckled, "Probably. You have it white right?"

"Yeah, I'm not one of these people who like it black as the ace and potent enough to decrease your life span seven years per sip."

"Well that's probably the answer. They use that 'Extra Long Life' milk in it, it's taken from the stores in storage bunker Twelve Forty Two Dash B. It's supposed to last twenty five years they say and still be drinkable even if exposed to radiation, but apparently that doesn't mean it's tasty."

The coffee was bad, that's not to say it was bad in the sense that say losing your keys was bad, or that Michael Jackson was 'Bad' or even Second Impact was bad - the coffee was _bad - _As in rancid. In fact if it had been exposed to radiation Hyruga surmised it would probably do it some good.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"This coffee might just be the next angel..." Hyruga scrunched up his nose, "It certainly isn't of this world."

The Central Dogma clock beeped as it reached the hour, the door did not open and the sanctuary of the relief officers coming to take over so they could go on a break didn't occur. Two had to be on the bridge section of Central Dogma at all times, it was regulation.

"They're late." Aoba commented unnecessarily, the tall man subconsciously practising fingering for a catchy riff he'd discovered the previous evening on his guitar. Makoto Hyruga looked despondently up from his workstation and shrugged, before turning back to the readout from Melchior.

"Internal tolerance up 0.026%."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

Aoba swivelled around in his bridge chair to face his friend, "You're supposed to be on edge as to what Major Katsuragi is up to, you know she's out with Captain Kaji right?"

"Yes." Hyruga cast his eyes downwards and tapped a command into his terminal, "I'm well aware of that."

"Well aren't you afraid she and he'll hook up again?" Aoba thumbed his hair behind his right ear, "I was looking forward to an evening of teasing you and watching you squirm."

"No."

"Why not? The last five months all you've seemed to talk about is the Major, hell, I've seen you catch yourself staring a few times. Why the sudden lack of concern?"

"Evolution."

"Excuse me?"

"Evolution, the Darwin theory my friend - the survival of the fittest. How could I compete with the likes of the Captain? I'm not debonair or handsome am I?"

"You're being a bit harsh on yourself aren't you Makoto?"

Makoto shook his head despondently, "No I'm not, I don't have a chance with her Shigeru, I never did."

"I don't know how you can-"

"-she... still loves him Shiegru. I can see it in her eyes, the way she looks at him, only one of her close friends would be able to tell you that. I'll always be her friend, but that's all I'll ever be."

"Dang." Aoba recoiled and turned back to his monitors, "You really know how to spoil a guy's mood."

"It's the truth. If she's happy then I'll be too - for her, but not for him." Makoto cast his eyes downwards and dejectedly muttered, "They always go for the rogues never the good guys." He sighed, "I'm gonna get some more coffee, screw the damn regulations."

  
_**[The Morning After]**_

Maya groaned and half opened her right eye, which was a mistake as a shaft of golden sunshine focused by the uneven nature of a window blind pierced her sensitive vision and buried itself into the back of her brain. She threw up her hands to block the offending light and groaned, as the rapid movement seemed to make the pain she felt treble and her stomach feel it was actually outside her body. The dim recollection of the interior of a toilet basin suggested this was most likely the case anyway.

Rolling onto her belly she grabbed the cushion she had been using as a pillow and covered her head with it protectively as though the foam and fabric could shield her from the effects of either a hangover or nuclear holocaust (whichever had actually occurred) and make it all go away again.

What had happened last night? It was something Maya was quite proud of to be able to handle her love of a good saki or two (dozen) so for her to wake up feeling as though she had been chewing on an old jumper for three hours and an N2 mine had gone off inside her skull was something relatively new. Rolling the other way this time she promptly fell straight off the sofa she had been sleeping on and onto the rather cold and hard wooden floor. A yelp of surprise followed by a groan sounded out in the room as Maya rubbed her head. A few more minutes in her foetal position and she felt brave enough to once again open her eyes. The sensation this time was less agonising than before but still pretty unpleasant, a dull throb of defiance still lingered.

Okay so her eyesight was hardly 20:20, more like -70:104 and the room may well have been spinning around like a top with shadows and blurs the only thing she could comprehend as she tried desperately to gain focus. However with time and patience things started to sort themselves out, twenty minutes after she first stirred Maya was able to discern three important concepts. The first was:

_Unfamiliar ceiling..._

The second:

_What... What's that thing rubbing against my foot!?_

And the third was:

_Maya Ibuki where the hell are you?_

Admittedly the first and third were somewhat based around the same concept but two was foremost in her mind at present, something furry was rubbing against her bare foot. She made to cautiously bring her knees upwards towards her chest thus getting her bare feet away from said fuzzy thing when something cold, wet and with a distinctly sandpaper like texture pressed against one of her toes. Squealing in fright the young woman leapt up into the air, a wave of adrenaline propelling her back onto the sofa that although seemingly solved the feet problem flung her poor alcohol soaked brain into the side of her skull and it groaned in protest. However scared Maya was, and she was pretty freaked out presently, she summoned up the nerve to open one eye with very little pain attached to see what it was.

There on the ground, slightly bemused and washing itself was a small grey kitten, which mewed at her in an almost nonchalant manner before resuming its wash. Maya gave a sigh of relief and got somewhat unsteadily to her feet. Still unsure exactly as to where she was she decided to investigate the apparently plush house she had ended up, hoping desperately she hadn't got picked up while drunk by some horrible smelly excuse of a person she stumbled forward making her way to a door. Leaning part against the wall to keep her upright, she turned the doorknob to find that it led into the kitchen.

"Good Morning Maya-chan."

Any drowsiness remaining vanished in an instant for young Lieutenant Ibuki, there standing at the cooker making breakfast was Doctor Ritsuko Akagi.

"I hope bacon is okay? I haven't had a fried breakfast in ages."

Wearing white panties, an apron - and nothing else.

"Mmm? Oh yeah, bacon's fine sempai."

_This has to be a dream, some weird crazy..._ Maya couldn't resist looking the doctor up and down from behind, _...incredibly sexy dream._

"I've told you before Maya-chan there's no need to call me sempai out of work. Ritsuko's fine, though I'd prefer Ritsu."

_She's asking me to call her by the pet name Major Katsuragi - Misato - calls her, but they've been friends years so what does that mean? Oh my God stop thinking that and say something!_

"Gomen." Maya looked groggily around her, "Um, where am I and how did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" Maya shook her head, Ritsuko sighed and began to serve up breakfast. "Well I'm not surprised under the circumstances. What happened was I gave you a lift back here; I was going to drop you back at your apartment but we were both having such a good time we decided to make a real night of it. You challenged me to a variety of drinking contests before I bet you I could walk up that wall."

She pointed to one wall that seemed to have shoe marks on it, "I failed miserably as you can see, and the graze on my forehead is testament to that. Afterwards I don't remember that much but we seem to have gotten through several bottles of spirits."

"That's probably why my head feels like Units One and Two have had a tap-dancing contest on it."

"Probably." Ritsuko nodded, "Incidentally I cancelled the test on the Zero, it can be done another time when we can actually look at the buttons without them giving us migraines."

"Eurrgh, what time is it?"

"Eight in the morning and breakfast time so eat up." Maya groaned and slumped into a seat before poking at a rasher of bacon suspiciously.

"I wonder how Misato's doing?"

"Well we did leave her with Kaji, so I suppose the question is how's he doing."

The kitten ambled into the room and Ritsuko bent down to pick it up before giving it a small piece of bacon the tiny cat rapidly devoured, a big grin on it's feline face. It rubbed its tongue over a pointed tooth and nussled the Doctor's hand affectionately. Maya became lost in the little scene and soon looked down to find her plate surprisingly empty, she blinked in confusion not remembering eating one mouthful.

"That was - great." She said smiling, which was a half-truth considering she couldn't remember consuming the meal at all, the taste or anything and only going on the fact that if she was a quarter as good a cook as she was a doctor she must be brilliant in that as well.

"Thank you." She picked up the kitten and continued to make a fuss of it, "He's called 'Whisper'."

Maya stifled a giggle, "Yes, we've already met."

"Well time to get going I suppose, I need a shower and a change of clothes first though but Hyruga and Shigeru-kun must be tired."

"Yes they need some sleep." Maya tickled Whisper under the chin.

"I'll go and tidy myself up and see you in ten minutes."

Maya nodded and leant her head on her elbow, letting her mind wander as she stared at the kitten who had decided now was as good a time as any to take a nap. Its paintbrush like tail had wound tightly around the salt dispenser and his head was resting on his paws. Today was going to be a good day Maya thought and she kept that feeling inside her for the whole of that ten minutes waiting for Ritsuko, yes, a good day today. As she watched Whisper snooze away without a care in the world she smiled, a very good day and not half-naked doctors or tap dancing Evas would change it.

How wrong she would be...  


* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Please review. In the next part : "I'm Home, I think...", "The Key to the Second Impact and everything that's happened since.", "A shadow?!", "MARDUKE said WHAT?", "We're going to fetch the next spare."  
  
_**_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**


	9. In The Eye Of The Beholder

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Well, it's been almost a year since this was updated, yikes! Incidentally is there ANYTHING FF . Net won't remove? I mean for freakin' sake if I can't put square brackets, asteriks or less/greater thans in for something (the MAGI bit in this chapter) what can I do? It even removed it's own address from my rant just now, hence spacing.... GRRR! Anyway, I haven't given up on Coda; it's just that I've literally not been able to get back into Evangelion for that long a time. Yes there are still 35 parts to this planned, I've already got most of what goes on in part 10 in place. Now though is time to start arc three, and the battle against the twelfth angel.**_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I own the severed head of Kaworu Nagisa which is mounted on my wall with the addition of a pair of antlers sticking out of his head. Naturally I expect this to win the Turner Prize next year..._

**(Arc 3: Divergence)**

**Part 9: In The Eye Of The Beholder**

_"Ask, and it shall be given you;  
Seek, and ye shall find;  
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."__  
- Matthew 7 - _

**_(Panicked Journeys)_**

_**Angel Attack Plus 0:01**_

"Crap. Crap. Crap."

The rapid thumps of rubber soled shoes echoed throughout the stairwell as Asuka and Shinji sprinted down the stairs, their emergency bags tightly in their grasp. Shinji led slightly, having had to do this run more times than Asuka. The pair said nothing to each other, each though cursed in their own way at whatever had happened this time.

"Come on!" A white haired man in a black baseball cap, shades and black bomber jacket called as he waited by the door which he was holding it open with his body. A white NERV logo signalled he was their driver, which meant only one thing - it was an angel. Asuka and he bundled through the exit out onto the street where a humvee like vehicle was parked up in the pavement, the vehicle had tinted windows that were also bullet-proof and possessed the red fig leaf symbol of NERV.

Asuka literally dived in the back first, Shinji slung her bag in after her followed by his both of which she caught before helping Shinji in. The back was slammed shut as the driver, also possessing a NERV logo on his cap and an ID card at his belt threw himself into the front and tore off in the direction of the entrance to the Geofront.

Asuka and Shinji held onto the leather straps that were attached to the ceiling as the car screamed through the side streets. Oddly it was Asuka who broke the silence.

"So... doing anything interesting today?"

**_(Regulations)_**

**_Time To Angel Attack:- 9:49_**

Rei stood before her direct superior at textbook attention, her body straight and poised for inspection. She was under no illusions that she was to be punished for her actions; after all she had directly disobeyed a direct order from the Commander of NERV. Plus there was the additional breaking of at least three general codes of conduct for NERV personnel.

Had she not been a pilot, Rei would most likely have been suspended indefinitely and in the worse instance 'reposted indefinitely' which usually involved the application of a wooden coffin. However she knew this would not happen.

What she didn't know was what was going to happen, for to her knowledge she had never been disciplined by Sub-Commander Fuyutski. She had been here, in his office, for six minutes now and as yet he had not spoken or even looked at her once. He was a mysterious man was Kozo Fuyutski, many claimed that while Commander Ikari was a mystery to most the Sub-Commander was the biggest enigma of all, something Rei agreed with. She had never really spent that much time dealing with him directly. She did know he was much different from the Commander, she also knew that the Commander greatly respected the man though he naturally had never voiced this private opinion. Yet in his own roundabout way he let it be known.

Seven minutes Rei's internal clock told her, and still he had not looked up. Fuyutski was busy reading through some kind of report, making notes here and there, crossing out bits and altering details as he saw fit.

Fuyutski's office was very different in comparison with Commander Ikari's, she had been most places in NERV - including all those of level 10 classification (and above). Yet she had never been inside his office before, at least that she could recall and her memory was exemplary... apart from that fuzzy patch when she was about five or six. Something happened then, but... nevermind.

Where as Gendo Ikari's office was an enormous foreboding place full of darkness and strategically placed spotlights, designed by it's owner to be as intimidating as possible and large enough to remind all of his power. Fuyutski's was more in line with the traditional western idea of what an office was. It was still large mind you as status duly required, a good seven metres by ten was Rei's pretty accurate guess but compared to Gendo's office Rei felt positively claustrophobic. The large desk in front of her was a grey colour just a shade darker than his hair and the walls were a dirty blue of similar hue. Around the room the equivalent of skirting boards were 'NERV red' and the carpet - which was in itself new - was a midnight blue which on closer scrutiny revealed the watermarked NERV logo repeated across it's fuzzy surface.

Where as the Commander's office was form and business Fuyutski's was an extension of himself it seemed. There was a lot of work on his desk, _Not nearly as much as on Major Katsuragi's._ Rei thought, but still a great deal. There was a bookcase laden with books both contemporary and modern on a variety of subjects. The walls had several paintings on them, paintings which proved to Rei that whatever the case, Fuyutski made a great deal of money from working for NERV. There was a picture of waterlillies by Monet, a painting by the French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. There was a landscape of Tokyo - the old Tokyo that is, but she didn't recognise the painting and couldn't make out the name on the gold plate from her current position. There were photos too, a picture of the original Gehern team sans Fuyutski, pictures of parts of the current NERV complex, original framed blueprints of the MAGI signed by the late Dr.Akagi. For some reason the hairs on the back of her neck rose as she saw this. Not forgetting more schematics of the Evangelions this time and in a complete contrast some original blueprints that were unmistakably Leonardo Da Vinci's.

Rei was impressed.

Rei was never impressed.

Another corner of the room held a rather overgrown rubber plant on top of a hi-fi unit that seemed almost to blend in with the wall giving it the appearance that the plant floated magically in mid-air.

_EIGHT minutes._

Looking back at the old man she noticed a number of smaller pictures on his desk facing him. _Perhaps his family,_ she thought but Fuyutski's records stated quite clearly that he had no living relatives. That was not unexpected; most NERV records said that at least those of the higher command did. In Fuyutski's case though, the fact was genuine. The man really was on his own, perhaps that's why he spent so much time with Commander Ikari. Now that she thought about it this whole office looked much more like the setup for someone who barely left it.

It suddenly dawned on her that Fuyutski never left it, because he simply had nowhere else to go. Just as she thought this the old man looked up at her.

"That will be all Miss Ayanami."

"Sir?" Rei was genuinely taken aback, lost in her musings she mistakenly thought she heard the Sub-Commander dismiss her.

"I said dismissed pilot." Fuyutski handed back her notes neither smiling nor frowning, his face a kind of benevolent blank. "Please don't make me repeat myself a third time."

"Sir." Rei bowed her head respectfully spun on her heel and with notes in hand walked out of the room. Fuyutski watched her leave, then with a small smile turned back to his paperwork.

Once outside Rei paused and tried to figure out just what the heck had just happened.

Was it a warning? Some kind of punishment without any actual punishment?

She wished wholeheartedly that she could understand such things, but the knowledge she required to do so simply wasn't there. Not only that but her notes felt slightly heavier than before, opening the file she found three things. The first was a piece of paper with the number 555-3226, from her training she knew this to be a code relating to surveillance. Cellotaped onto this was a memory stick for controlling surveillance devices. Rei correctly assumed this was for the bar. The second was a small booklet, emblazoned with the unoriginal slogan 'My First Piano' and the third was another piece of paper on which the number 601 was written.

She recognized this instantly too, the number was the MAGI's code for 'unknown'. He was telling her that _he_ didn't know and more importantly _wouldn't_ know either. Rei closed the file and felt her heart lighten a little, she - and Shinji had an ally.

Fuyutski examined the painting in his office, a present from many years ago. He lightly brushed a finger over the mahogany frame and was annoyed to find his cleaner wasn't doing her job properly. He was now committed to a path that directly opposed Ikari's, which in turn was a direct opposition of the committee.

The painting.

Fuyutski smiled, old Tokyo; how he remembered the smell of the place.

**_(Welcome To The Red Zone)_**

_********__Time To Angel Attack:- 0:03_

10:13AM, a Thursday in fact.

So, it was the Red Zone once more.

The steaming pot of (now drinkable) fresh coffee never looked so inviting, Makoto Hyruga sighed contentedly as he slumped back into his seat once more having broken the regulations a record third time this now extremely long shift. The way he saw it NERV broke the civil code this night, no last night he corrected glancing at his watch. He was no longer the angry one out of himself and best friend Shigeru Aoba, he had resigned himself to the fact that they had been dumped here with now three consecutive shifts thus having to work a monstrous twenty-two and a half hours pretty much straight. Aoba like he had finally given up all hope of the relief team arriving to take over from them and had been taking it in turns with Hyruga to have one hour off, one hour on. Makoto had been using his hour to get as mentioned previously more of the precious terracotta coloured nectar whose sole caffeinated goodness had kept his eyes from being welded closed. He looked at his daigojins as well, the precious manga stash locked and hidden away in his personal desk cabinet. Opening said drawer Makoto got out his favourite Municipal Force Daitenzin manga and began to flick through it to the place he'd last got to.

"You know, one of these days you'll actually grow up." A stressed looking Aoba muttered his hands a blur on the keyboard as he tried to fix a problem that had occurred with one of the maintenance bay door on level 18. For some reason they kept emergency opening, at first he thought it was some kind of prank but he had realised the sensors on that level were picking something up.

"And maybe one of these days you'll actually play a real guitar of yours in here instead of the air one you're so fond of Shigeru." Makoto shot back.

"Hmmph."

::::REQUEST OVERRIDE;  
::::L18-4299  
::::DOOR.EMERGOPEN(0)  
::::ARGS(0)  
::::CODE: 6477-223  
::::PRIORITY: 1  
::::  
::::  
::::REQUESTING....

Shigeru glowered at the screen; he'd called up the monitor readings from the Melchior and discovered that there was a life form in that room. The room was supposed to be air tight as some vital and sensitive equipment was in there, somehow though and despite all the wondrous security NERV had in place it seemed something had managed to breach all that expensive hardware and highly trained personnel. Knowing this of course the MAGI when scanning different rooms that are supposed to be air tight open said door so any trapped life form won't suffocate to death. However, that scanning program was based around the idea that humans (or Pattern: Red humans) are counted yet this did not take into account anything else possessing a pattern red.

Like the mouse.

Which could never get in, oh no.

So now, unable to get the MAGI to associate the scan differently he was trying to convince them it was important the doors stayed closed no matter what.

::::CONFLICT!

"What?"

::::CODE: 132  
::::DELIBERATION...

"What is it?"

"Grr, stupid Caspar has instigated a code 132 conference to decide my request."

Makoto chuckled, "Heh, you gotta love these computers."

"No. You. Do. Not."

**_"MAGI DECISION AS FOLLOWS:"_** The loud speaker hummed into life so the voice of the Magi could be heard.

"Well, here we go."

**_"MELCHIOR: NEGATIVE, BALTHASAR: AFFIRMATIVE, CASPAR: NEGATIVE."_**

"Ah nuts." Makoto laughed as Shigeru hit his head against the keyboard.

**_"OVERRULED! OVERRULED! OVERRULED!"_**

"Overruled! Overruled!" Shigeru mocked in a whiny voice, "I'll show you you great lolloping-"

-Alarm?

Sirens rung out over the Command Centre, Makoto flung his comic away from him and rolled on his chair back to his station. The monitor bank lit up with all sorts of data as dormant instruments burst into multicoloured life. He struggled briefly to get his headset on then immediately set about locating the problem.

"What've you got Makoto?"

"Alarms in the C-9, C-10 and D-11 districts. We've got massive gravitronic and trans-organic readings across the spectrum, MAGI are scanning. Can you get a visual on the screen?"

"Working on it."

"MAGI scanning complete. It's Pattern: Orange!"

"Got the visual, coming up." He jabbed a flashing key forcefully. "Now!"

After the briefest of brief pauses up on the screen appeared a black sphere, dashed with white lines that made it look like some kind of gigantic spherical fat zebra. Its design, although it could hardly be called this appeared to resemble some kind of modernistic art work. The fact it was floating in mid air dispelled any ideas Makoto Hyruga had that it was such and the people running in terror suggested that it wasn't a hot air balloon either.

"It's big." Was all Aoba managed to say, looking in awe at the sight.

"It's also an Angel. Get the pilots up and over here now, and I mean **now**!" He slammed his hand down on a button and the MAGI began the Evangelion automatic prepping process. Scooping up a phone in his free hand and flicking the speed dial for Misato's phone with his index finger, the lieutenant never let his eyes stray from the screen. "Why the hell didn't Matsushiro spot this?"

_**(Know Your Enemies)**_

_********__Time To Angel Attack:- 2:59_

The effects of the previous night were all too real, shaking his head to remove the cobwebs turned out to be a very bad thing to do and made the room seemingly whirl about him in a myriad of bright neon colours. Groaning slightly, Kaji willed his fingers to tap faster and his liver to stop complaining. Neither happened. This was it, the door behind which one of his goals lay. A confirmation of all that he had suspected from almost the very beginning, not the actual beginning of course. The NERV conspiracy was a multilayered one, a bit like an onion, this would be the start of the next layer of skin a new membrane of lies, spies and espionage. It would not be the truth he found behind this door though, truth was a word hardly spoken in NERV and there were few people he'd trust not to be in the employ of those who sought things to remain that way.

Mulling it over as he subconsciously reached out and checked the card in his pocket was still in his pocket and not somehow sprung little arms and legs and climbed out. Kaji realised his options were rather limited after this, in one instance this was a relief, the fewer the number of paths the greater the chance of choosing the correct one, supposedly. The thing that worried him was that the penalty for being caught was now certain death, probably a painful uncaring one.

The sign above did little to discourage this possibility:

KEEP OUT  
Main L.C.L Plant: Circulation Line No.3

The above wasn't a lie, merely a half-truth something that actually made Kaji laugh when he saw it. If truth was all but extinct in NERV, a half-truth was like finding a dodo dancing with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The fact that the other five circulation lines were dummies and all led to what was little more than empty broom cupboards was visible to anyone who bothered to have a vaguely detailed look at NERV's blueprints. Which were available to anyone as a rule of Japanese construction law, of course you needed to know what cover name NERV was using and which obscure section they had been put but even so.

Trespassers will be shot on sight.  
Violators will be liable for penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment, $100,000 fine, or both.

Oh well, at least when they took the money from his account and slung him in jail he'd be dead anyway.

He would have to ensure his knowledge was passed on to somebody, somebody trustworthy who could use it to finish his task should Section-2 or some other individual or organisation take it upon themselves to strap a name tag to the toe of his still warm corpse.

But who?

Ritsuko was in this conspiracy right up to her ruby red roots; the Doctor was the one after all who had warned him the previous evening that his incursions into NERV's business had not gone unnoticed. That admission, coded as it was, was enough to make him think twice about his little incursion this morning.

There was the sub-commander, but he already knew 99 of what went on in Ikari's mind and also knew of his actions anyway. The only good thing to come out of that was that he had seemingly allied himself, on a secretly private level at least against Ikari and SEELE.

The Lieutenants. Hyruga and Aoba he didn't really know on a personal level but he knew full well they didn't trust him all that much - especially Aoba after the Maya incident. Hyruga was a different kettle of fish however, investigations had led him to the conclusion that Misato's right hand man was steadfastly loyal to her. He paused briefly and stroked his chin, would he be man enough to stay with her if he knew about NERV's secrets? He after all was one of the bridge crew which put him in a good position theoretically to thwart Ikari and his goals, whatever those really were.

Of course all three of the techs had spoken up for the children at one time or another but none more so than the aforementioned Maya, which put her relatively near the top of his list. She was just as skilled as Ritsuko, distinctly slower obviously in computing terms but the term 'bright spark' could have been coined just for her. Her protective attitude towards the children was something that Kaji considered a real boon to potential success. Misato and himself could only be around so much, Ritsuko would be more than happy to sacrifice Rei, Asuka and Shinji if it suited the scenario. So someone else who was ready to go out on a limb to protect them or brave enough to challenge a decision was a good guy (or gal) in his book. There was of course the Ritsuko factor, Maya's relationship with her sempai was if anything significantly stronger than that between Misato and Lt.Hyruga. A fact, baring in mind Ritsuko's higher allegiance and role as virtual third-in-command of NERV that wasn't particularly handy.

That left few; Asuka was a distinct no-no for reasons he really didn't have to mentally go into. Shinji... couldn't really help as much as the others but at some stage he would have to know. It was inevitable. Rei had been a questionable candidate though he'd never really spoke to her. The invisible politics being played out between Gendo Ikari and the unwitting, unsuspecting and clueless to it Shinji had put her back into the equation. He was sure from what he learned there was more to the First Child than met the eye, a fact he was hoping to clarify after he got this blasted door open.

The small element of his brain that suggested Pen-Pen was immediately denied blood flow by the rest of his brain and was slowly replaced by 'sensible' brain cells.

Finally he finished and brought the card down to swipe through the key lock reader, the sudden click of a gun being cocked and application of a revolvers steel barrel to the back of his head made him stop. A female voice cleared her throat pointedly.

He cast his eyes round to his left and raised his hands in the air, "Hi."

"Kaji."

"Misato." The Major's grip tightened on her weapon, the barrel twisting slightly against the back of her boyfriend's head. "Feeling better this morning are we?"

"I'm sober now thank you." Misato said with genuine sincerity, though Kaji lost this having a cocked gun at the back of his skull.

"I'm glad to hear that." And he was, considering the state he'd left her in the previous evening. It seemed Misato's ability to remove alcohol from her system quickly (when she wanted to) hadn't disappeared over the years.

"Is this your real profession Kaji, or just something you do part-time?"

"What do you think?"

"It would seem to be that there must be at least two Ryoji Kaji's here. One works for NERV special inspection and the other would appear to be working for the Japanese government."

"Hmm." Kaji's lips twitched, "So you knew."

"Don't underestimate NERV." Misato said forcefully, Kaji bit his lip. _So she doesn't know the rest just as I thought._

"Was this ordered by Ikari?"

"No, my initiative but if you stay with this other job you'll die."

_She's good._ Kaji thought, _She has to be the one - and who better? I don't want to lie to her anymore, especially after last night when she was so truthful to me._ He drew himself up straight.

"Perhaps not. Commander Ikari is using me for his own ends, but I am sorry that I've kept this secret from you."

"I'll let it pass; repayment for your help yesterday."

"I'd appreciate that." Kaji tried not to sound too relieved, "But you should know that the Commander and Ritsuko are keeping something hidden from you as well." His eyes flicked down to the key lock, sensing her sudden confusion he made his move "-And this is it!"

The key slid through the lock before Misato could react and the giant door opened, it was very bright in the chamber. Misato had to shield her eyes as light flooded the corridor, but she could make out something very big attached to a colossal cross.

"Oh my God..." Misato's eyes widened, "Is that an Eva?"

Memories came flooding back to the Major, Antarctica, the Katsuragi Research Project, her father, the giant of light, Second Impact...

"No." She whispered, "No i-it can't be."

"Yes." Kaji walked into Terminal Dogma, Misato numbly followed. "The key to the Second Impact and everything that has happened since, the starting point of everything. This is Adam."

"Adam?" Misato's eyes looked up over the beast, its head titled limply forward crucified by giant grey nails through its palms. It had no legs, they had apparently been severed and she didn't want to know what had happened to them. A giant dual forked spear was protruding from the Angel's chest. A giant steel mask baring the obvious mark of SEELE covered its features. "But why is the first Angel here? You're right Kaji, I don't know NERV. I don't know NERV at all!"

Misato's eyes didn't know where to look; this thing in front of her was responsible for her father's death and the death of millions around the world. She hated it and yet it had been under here, her very feet, for the last God knows how many months or years. She looked at the Angel and wanted to feel angry with it, but the sight of it on the cross... It was then she noticed for the first time the orange blood dripping down the cross from the torso. Orange blood. She'd seen it before; this really was the L.C.L plant.

Misato collapsed to her knees, "I feel sick." She muttered.

"Well don't throw up here; I don't want to clean up any evidence."

"They brought it here, somehow... and crucified it? Good God hadn't we learned anything over the past two-thousand years?"

"Some would say that this is poetic justice." Kaji looked the Angel over. "I do not. I can answer your previous question though - why is it here? Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that the Angels always attack Tokyo-3? Why not somewhere else? Some other branch of NERV, maybe one of those which are endeavouring to build more Evangelions. Destroy them first then come to us, makes it all the more easier for the next one should it fail. The fact is having Adam here is the only guarantee the Angels will strike in the same place, they want Adam back."

Misato tried to get to her feet and found she couldn't, Kaji helped her when she failed a second time.

"Why did you show me this?"

"Because you needed to know."

"I don't understand."

"I don't want to lie to you Misato; Ikari has some rather unsavoury plans for the Evangelions after the Angels are destroyed. The committee too have they're own agenda, I don't know what they are yet but I intend to find out. I... fear for Shinji and Asuka."

That got Misato's attention, "Why?"

"The doctor and Ikari see little value in them; I need you to keep a special look out for them."

"What about Rei?"

Kaji paused for a few seconds, "I've got the feeling she can handle herself."

"Kaji?"

"Yes."

"Get me out of here..."

_**(Chequered)**_

_********__Time To Angel Attack:- 2:40_

"You seem pleased Ikari."

"How so?"

"You're smiling, or your equivalent to it." Fuyutski wasn't smiling, he'd been told to join Ikari on this little helicopter jaunt and he'd now found out it was because the twelfth was arriving imminently. The children had been left to deal with this threat on their own.

"The cat's paw has told me the committee will take no further interest in the business with the Third Child."

"And you believed him?"

"I see no reason why not."

"He follows his own rules."

"And these rules will eventually lead to his elimination, but for now he has his uses and I intend to make use of them. A wise chess player will fight just as hard with his pawns as with his knights and his queen, to remove your eyes from the board for a second will only allow your opponent an opportunity."

"An opportunity? Is that so?"

"Yes Professor, an opportunity to make a move and not see it."

"So we leave your pawns to fight alone King Ikari?" There was an edge to the old man's voice Gendo didn't like or appreciate, his eyes told the sub-commander this fact.

"It is necessary to ensure the continued success of the projects, all of which I have informed the old men are on schedule."

"Including Rei?" Fuyutski could feel rage boil up suddenly inside Gendo then just as suddenly abate, the Commander stayed silent. "Well, I won't press you."

The duel rotor helicopter sped off over the sea to Tokyo-2; Fuyutski got up from his seat and moved to another by the other window opposite. He didn't feel like being near Ikari right now.

_King takes Queen's Knight, sacrifices Queen..._

_**(Beneath A Steel Sky)**_

_**Angel Attack Plus 0:35**_

Hikari Horaki looked anxiously about section 12 Alpha of Geoshelter 334, all around her were various people she knew - her class for example were all in attendance with the exception of Asuka, Shinji and Rei. She had left her girl friends and was now though searching for the other missing youth, Touji Suzahara. She looked cautiously about her; the shelter was a safe house from the Angels yes however there were enough weirdoes about to keep her on her guard. It only wanted one pervert to think he was going to die anyway and anything alone and in a school skirt and uniform was in trouble.

Right now she was right on the border of her section, the black and yellow stripes a warning marker in more ways than one. However she knew Suzahara would be in her section or nowhere, he knew the importance of getting to the correct shelter and more importantly staying in it after that mess with the fourth angel and him being trapped in Evangelion Unit 01 with Shinji and Kensuke.

"Touji!" She called out, cupping her hands around her mouth as she did so. Undignified maybe for a class representative to do and distinctly informal but the young jock's absence was beginning to worry her. She'd do this of course for any missing student but, this after all was him - why did it have to be him? Kensuke had told her he had been to visit his little sister Mara which was why he hadn't turned up for class this morning. It was unusual for him to miss school to visit her though, she had always been under the impression Mara was very much against him visiting if she thought he was just using her to goof off school. Not that he ever would.

"Class rep?"

Hikari spun around to find herself looking at Kensuke, "Oh, Mr Aida!"

"No luck finding Touji huh?"

She cast her eyes downwards, "No, I'm afraid not."

"Mmmm." Kensuke stroked his chin and pushed his spectacles slightly further up his nose with his index finger of the same hand. "Well, if you're gonna be wandering around I'd best accompany you."

"Would you?"

"Sure! Somebody has to protect you from any fraught dangers around."

"You? Yeah right..."

"Well I'll have to do."

"Hmm, I suppose so." She was smiling when she said this, Kensuke was many things - geek, hentai, army mad nutcase but he did have a sense of honour.

They searched for what must have been about twenty minutes, during which time they caught up on things mainly news on their mutual friends which tended to be Touji and Shinji. Talk turned to Asuka naturally enough though Kensuke was understandably none too thrilled by any rumours of 'The Demon' and Shinji becoming closer.

"Urrgh, I've seen month old ramen with less stomach-churning ability than that thought."

Hikari giggled, "I don't know, I think he'd be good for her."

"That may be, of course it would be dependant on a lot of things but I see your point. He'd certainly be a good influence on her; even you've got to admit Class Rep that sometimes she's a little... well..." Kensuke searched for a decent wording.

"Overzealous?" Hikari suggested and Kensuke shrugged.

"Well, that's certainly one way of putting it yes. You're forgetting the big thing though, Shinji-Asuka would be good for Asuka but it'd be the end of Shinji for sure!"

"She's not that bad."

"No." A new voice replied for Kensuke, looking up the pair found themselves looking at Touji Suzahara his face seemed to suggest confusion but there was the customary spark of mischief in his eyes that always made Hikari's heart skip a beat. "She's worse."

"Suzahara!"

"Hey, Touji. We've been looking all over for ya." Kensuke slapped him on the shoulder, "Where've you been?"

"Ah, I got caught up halfway between here and the hospital when the Angel attack sirens went off. I had to do a bit of shelter hopping to make my way down here."

"Did you see it?!" Kensuke gasped grabbing his tracksuit, "What did it look like?"

"Will you chill 'Suke?" Touji released himself from the stooge's grasp and straightened the material, "Let's get back to 12-A and I'll tell you on the way."

And that's what exactly what Touji did, he explained about how the monstrous sphere was hovering over the city. How several of the Eva external cable leads had appeared on the surface, presumably for an imminent attack and how he had dashed from place to place in order to achieve safety.

"How was Mara?" Hikari asked, Touji smiled and Hikari suddenly had difficulty in thinking straight.

"She's doing better, not much better mind you but she's improving steadily. They're looking into some new techniques being pioneered in the States at the moment, I don't think I was supposed to see this but on one of the medical sheets was a NERV symbol."

"NERV?" Kensuke frowned, "Hmm, maybe Major Katsuragi's pulled some strings for you."

"I doubt it." Touji said, "She would have said, besides it's still very up in the air I think, lots of red tape and red type like 'Top Secret' all over the files."

"Still if NERV have the ability you know we do happen to know several very important members of their staff." Hikari suggested, "We could ask them if they could make some enquiries."

Kensuke cupped his chin for a moment and then began to fish around in his bag for his small portable radio and headphones. "Ask Shinji you mean. It's not like something Ayanami or Asuka would do if you get what I'm saying."

A large rumble from above stopped the group momentarily in their tracks, loud echoing thumps reverberated through the great shelter. They were familiar with the noises, Evangelions weren't exactly known for being light on their feet.

"I hope they'll be alright." Hikari whispered unnecessarily, eyes scanning the great steel beams above them which even here in hidden away inside what Kensuke believed to be close to the Geofront NERV was based in creaked lightly under protest from above.

"I wonder which one of them that is." Asked Touji suddenly, he too looking upwards at where the sound was coming from. "Maybe it's Ayanami, it seems quieter than usual."

"Why would that be Ayanami?" Came Kensuke's reply, "I know the girl's stick thin but I doubt that'll-"

"-Don't you observe anything from behind those glasses of yours?" Touji slapped the back of his head, "Ayanami if you hadn't noticed is much quieter than the others, she's also much more deliberate in what she does. If it was Asuka's all guns-blazing style we'd be sitting here with our hands over our ears."

"It could always be Shinji you know." Hikari said, waving at a friend whom she'd just seen.

Touji shrugged. "Perhaps."

"Do you worry about them up there, facing that thing and whatever else is coming our way?" Hikari asked Kensuke who was still fiddling about with his radio. "What are you doing there anyway?"

"I'm trying to see if I can pick up the communications link between the Evangelions that way we can listen in and find out what's happening." Kensuke reached once more into his school rucksack fished out a strange looking gizmo strapped to a piece of wood the size of an old fashioned computer floppy disk. Hikari reached up and took the radio out of the boys mouth where'd he'd placed it having run out of hands.

Around them the groans and noise had begun to increase in volume, some people stared upwards slack-jawed others sobbed and whimpered in fear, a few were shouting obscenities and cursing God while others were in silent prayer. On one side of the shelter Hikari could make out a priest who was leading a group of about twelve people in some sort of sermon. Yet on the other side a slightly plump man, unshaven with a shirt stained with what looked like paint was leading around about the same number in a sermon as well, but the exact opposite of what the priest was saying. Having reached the rest of her class, Hikari sat down and was a little bit surprised to see Touji and Kensuke join her, the latter taking back his radio.

"Thanks." He said, and then upon removing the backing began attaching several wires to the radio from his device.

"Kensuke what exactly are you doing?" Asked Touji as his friend busied himself with a screwdriver.

"Well, you don't think any old radio can pick up their transmissions do you?"

"No, I suppose they can't."

"Well this here is a signal booster, it increases the spectrum the radio can pick up and can also unscramble encoded transmissions."

Hikari looked at the mess of wires, transistors and resistors. "You made this?"

"Yeah." Kensuke replied his brow in a knot of concentration as he worked. "It wasn't anything major to do, even NERV has to abide by some laws of science they only have so many channels they can use which aren't affected by background radiation and the traditional citizen transmissions. Even an old analogue radio like this can pick up digital signals but it doesn't understand them so you have to help it out and tune it in correctly. This is just stuff available at any hardware store; you just need a few Yen a little bit of knowledge and a few hours or so to put the stuff together."

"And this will work?"

"I don't see why not."

"Why use an analogue radio in this day and age?"

"Easier to tune with the dial to be honest, plus I kind of have a fondness for the retro stuff." Kensuke allowed himself a small smile; it was interesting to see how his attitude changed during his work. He was a machine; fast, efficient and single minded yet decidedly un-machinelike was the smile which he kept as he worked.

"Anything to somehow get you into an Evangelion again, huh?" Touji chuckled, but Kensuke shot him a look that made the elder boy stop his amusement. Even after what they had seen inside Eva 01 Kensuke wanted to be an Evangelion pilot, wanted it more than anything in the world. For some reason though Kensuke seemed to be the only person besides Asuka who wanted the job; he doubted Rei really wanted to be an Evangelion pilot despite the air of indifference she gave off. Shinji's opinions were well documented on the subject, but no-one else Kensuke knew could really say they wanted to pilot an Evangelion. In this era of communications blackouts though Kensuke just wanted to know the truth of how his friends were doing.

As the boy turned back to his work, Hikari allowed herself a small indulgence by gently cupping Touji's elbow and leading him a few steps away from Kensuke.

"Pretty intense isn't he?" Touji commented, his eyes betraying some surprise at Hikari's actions. She smiled lightly, hoping the butterflies in her stomach weren't a signal that any pinkness was appearing on her cheeks.

"I think when Aida-kun is concerned for his friends intense is a good way to sum up his actions." It was, and they were pink.

"Thank you for asking about Mara by the way, it's... nice someone else cares about her."

"T-That's okay." Hikari turned away slightly, pink now replaced by profusely burning red.

"Next time I'm in I'll tell her you asked after her."

"Oh, you don't have to do that!"

"Why not? It'll really help cheer her up, she doesn't smile as much as she used to nowadays." Hikari wondered whether or not Shinji ever visited her, but she doubted he could ever pick up the courage to face the young girl. A pity, she thought.

"You... really care about her don't you?"

"Care? She's my sister; I love her with everything I am. I'd do anything for her to get better."

And that was when Hikari Horaki really fell in love with Touji Suzahara.

Static screamed from the small radio and Kensuke after a few rapid twiddles of his screwdriver on an adjustable resistor managed to extract a few words from the speakers.

"Oui, j'aime la patinoire. Et tu..."

"...And now on BBC Radio 4, The Archers - and this week there's trouble at the farmhouse for..."

"...SCHNELL! SCHNELL! ZWEI..."

"...is the world service..."

"...triple play situation here folks, two outs and bases loaded with..."

"...keep up your end of the bargain then huh First Child?"

"Wait that's it!" Hikari knelt down besides Kensuke and plucked the tool from his hand to avoid him adjusting it anymore. Sadly she had been too late, the signal now slightly broken reverberated outwards intermingled with static.

"You.....point then....Misato....ahead."

"What... thing?"

"Shin....ground!"

"....Blue! Angel........cycling....attack!"

"What is.... shadow? What the hell.... happening?"

Touji's face looked ashen, he clenched his fists. "I don't care what you say Kensuke, ain't no way you'd ever get me in one of those things again.""....Ikari!"

"Idiot you....shrrrrrrrrkkkk....gear!"

"What's....on?"

"Shinji retreat! Shinji!"

Some explosions, like gunshots followed.

"Misato! Can.... hear me Misato!........HEELLLLP MEEEEE!!!!"

"....ka, Rei - rescue....One....!"

**_"MISATO! CAN YOU HEAR ME MISATO? MISAGHHHHH...................................."_**

And then the radio transmission cut off.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Please review... pwease? In the next part : The fight, the resolution and the 'next spare' arrives and it's not necessarily who you might think..._

**_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**


	10. Nocturne Of Shadow

**Everlasting Coda  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Not a year this time around, but close to a half of one I believe - Coda is back and this time its PERSONAL! Got some bits in this part you should enjoy its 8000 words so it long. There's a lot of 'try and spot where that is mentioned' this particular chapter. That is to say there's several bits which are, well, they're referred to in the series but not explained and I've taken it upon myself to give you an explanation. The arc title 'Divergence' kicks into high gear with a bunch of surprises, we've got battles internal and external and a whole new 'who on earth could that be then' plot twist just for fun. Oh and a reference to another Eva fanfic of mine - see if you can spot it! **_

_I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I do own Halogen Metallica Adamdeviltiger..._

**Part 10: Nocturne Of Shadow**

_"In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  
The light shines in the darkness,  
but the darkness has not understood it."  
- John 1:5 -_

_** (Black Carpets - The Attack)**_

"You'd better keep up your end of the bargain then huh First Child?"

"I did not agree to any bargain Pilot Sohryu." Ayanami frowned, "I will backup as ordered, Shinji-kun will take point then act as a distraction, then you will assault from the other side."

"You got that Shinji? Take the point then get the hell out of the way when Misato gives the go ahead."

"Works for me."

The Angel hovered silently above the street like some ghastly demonic work of Escher, and ever so slowly the lumbering mechanical giants that were the Evangelions crept up on it. Stealth was hardly a word you could use to describe the movement of the mechas but through rigorous training the pilots could make their craft traverse the city as silently as physically possible. The bad news was that was still pretty damn loud, but they were fast enough in doing so that an enemy would have difficulty in locating them as they moved from cover to cover, from building to building. The only problem was with this enemy, which direction was it actually 'looking' in? There was no obvious 'face' as with other angels, nor could the MAGI identify a kor to target which would give some kind of clue as to where to attack. For all they knew it could have horizontal and vertical three hundred and sixty degree vision in which case... it had already spotted them all. Oh it knew they were around, it was obvious, but did it now exactly where they were.

"Shiess." Asuka swore as the external power cable of the crimson mecha snagged on a building, her movements far to random for her own good.

"You okay Asuka?" Shinji appeared on the Evangelion's internal display,

"Yeah yeah, just gotta free this wire." At this point she could have ejected the cable and gotten another from the supply bay nearby but to do so she figured would compromise her position as the discharge would be uncomfortably loud. Instead therefore she decided the best course of action was to try and untangle the wire, because, she assumed there must be some left on the spindle. There wasn't.

"Ayanami?" Shinji said, reverting back to the formal style in case his father was listening in. "Are you there?"

"Not yet." The calm voice of the First Child replied, "Give me thirty seconds and consider me ready."

Shinji peaked around the corner of a building, angling the Eva's head so its massive purple horn did not protrude.

"What the hell is that thing?" Shinji muttered seemingly to no one, when all of a sudden he spotted something. "Misato?" He called to the operations director, "You got a second?"

"Sure Shinji but it better be important."

"It was a suggestion actually." Misato blinked, Shinji was volunteering a suggestion? "Look where Rei and Asuka are currently. If I moved around to the other side here..." He pointed at a place on his screen the other side of the Angel, "Then we could set up a three-way crossfire. A unison attack would probably do it a heck of a lot of damage and then I could act as a decoy allowing the continuation, of the, erm, attack."

Shinji stammered as Misato's face seemed to get stuck between looking shocked and amazed. "Shinji?"

"Y-Yes ma'am?"

"That's a brilliant idea!" Misato beamed, "You two copy that?"

"Roger." Came Rei's reply.

"Uh-huh." Came Asuka's, "As long as you get in position ASAP then we'll go in ninety seconds."

"O-okay!" Shinji nodded, more nervous now than when he was when he suggested the plan. "I'm on my way."

So Shinji began dodging from building to building, all the time the gigantic revolver clutched in his Eva's huge purple hand. Rei readied her own weapon, ready to pounce whilst Asuka, her large axe at the ready muttered unsavoury murmurings as she continued to try and give herself some more room. With twelve seconds to go Shinji made his last move, a simple dash across a block to get him in position. He navigated the street easily enough, avoiding still parked cars and other pedestrian paraphernalia so out of place on a battlefield. What he didn't spot however, at least with enough significance was the large red wire lying on the street in front of him. That external wire was Asuka's; and so when she with five seconds to go pulled the wire at her back in frustration it tore partly through the building it had snagged on. Which, giving it just that bit more give for her also brought it taught and raised it up off the ground slightly - just at the time Shinji was dashing above it. The net result was, like a hunter's trap the wire flew up catching Unit One's foot above just above the ankle, tripping it up and Shinji with a cry of surprise fell flat on his mecha's hideous face.

"OW!"

A horrific clang rang out over the city, but what was worse Shinji had fallen in direct sight of the angel.

"Crap!" Asuka cried, ejecting her external power cable with all pretence of silence now obliterated, "Shinji, get off the ground quickly! Covering fire!"

"Right!" Rei spun up over the building with her mortar gun firing three salvos at their foe which simply disappeared from view before they hit it leaving the rounds to hammer into an adjacent skyscraper. In a flash the Angel reappeared this time above the fallen purple unit, blocking out the sun with its large form and plunging the Eva and everything around it into a deep, dark shadow. Shinji all of a sudden couldn't move.

"Pattern: Blue! Pattern: Blue!" Aoba yelled, "Its pattern is cycling from blue to... to something else then back faster than we can extrapolate! It's attacking!"

"Attacking?" Asuka yelled back, "It isn't doing any-" She was cut off by Shinji who'd managed to get to his feet but seemed to be shrinking.

"What is this... this shadow?" Shinji tried to move the Evangelion but found it couldn't budge; he wasn't shrinking, but seemed to be sinking into the Shadow like he was being sucked into quicksand. "What the hell is happening!"

"Ikari!" Rei cried firing again, this time the giant mortars flying straight through the sphere leaving more craters in buildings.

"Idiot!" Asuka screamed leaping over a building to slice through the sphere with her axe, springing off the top of a skyscraper with one hand to land some distance away. The attack having the same effect as Rei's: zero. "Get your ass in gear!"

"What's going on!" Shinji demanded, sinking faster. He fired his gun at the shadow and the bullets stopped immediately upon hitting the surface before sinking underneath.

"Shinji retreat!" Misato barked, "Shinji!" There were more explosions as Rei again fired and hit nothing but air.

"Misato! Can you hear me Misato!" Shinji's picture had begun to break up, he looked absolutely terrified. Nothing he was doing had any effect, he tried to push himself up out of the shadow but all that did was push his hands into it. "HEELLLLP MEEEEE!" He screamed desperately.

"Asuka, Rei, rescue Unit One!"

"Damnit Shinji what's the point of getting A's in planning and not in the real world!" Asuka dumped her axe and launched herself at the shadow, the Evangelion sliding along the street on its belly gigantic sparks flying off setting fire to a nearby ramen stand.

"Eject the plug!" Misato screamed at Maya, "Get him out of there!"

The tech hammered repeatedly on the relevant button, "No response! The eject signal isn't getting through!"

"MISATO! CAN YOU HEAR ME MISATO? MISAGHHHHH-" The Evangelion's head disappeared below the surface, the signal being cut off in mid scream.

"RAGGGGHHH GOTCHA!" Asuka's lunge came to a stop with her Evangelion's chest on the edge of the shadow, in one swift movement she spread the mecha's legs out so she anchored herself by the feet behind two buildings and plunged her right arm into the darkness up to the forearm clamping down on something with her hand and with a gigantic heave began to pull something up out of the surface. A large purple horn.

Shinji's signal re-established itself for a few seconds, as did the terrified shouts of the boy Ikari himself. Asuka grimaced as she heaved at the control yolks to pull Shinji back up but soon found something pulling Shinji back down even harder.

Doctor Akagi noticed another ripple on the creature in the sky. "Asuka! Look at the street!"

"The shadow!"

Leiliel had had quite enough amusement watching the struggling Asuka and now concentrated on her, the shadow spread suddenly right underneath Evangelion Unit 02 and it too began to sink.

"Asuka!" Rei cried and made to dive for the red machine's foot but Misato's command stopped her.

"Stay where you are Rei! Asuka are you okay!"

"NO! Do something damnit!"

"Is there anyway we can get back the Eva?" Misato demanded.

Makoto glanced up at her, "I don't see how without jeopardising Unit Zero as well and if all three are swallowed we can kiss any chance of success goodbye."

"Damnit all!" Misato yelled as Asuka's Eva began to disappear, "Eject her!"

"I'll try!" Maya did as she was ordered. "Got it!"

"NOT-" Asuka began before the back of her unit opened up and the igniting rockets ejected her entry plug into the air. More misfortune followed as one rocket failed and ceased firing early making the plug arc around in the sky. Asuka screamed as the white cylinder suddenly pitched wildly making it corkscrew around and away past a couple of buildings before the rear end smashed against a wall and sent her falling straight down vertically the plug partly burying itself in the centre of a road junction. Asuka's head slammed against the side of her seat violently and she knew no more.

"Rei pull back-"

"-Wait!" Rei blurted out, "Unit One & Shinji are still in there!"

Misato couldn't bear to look her in the eye; she was shaking from head to toe. "This is an order. Withdraw now."

**_(A Drop In The Ocean)_**

Rei looked the whiteboard over and began calculating the mathematics in her head, abstract mathematics wasn't something the normal person could do in their head but then again, Rei wasn't exactly normal. She could do such equations in her sleep if she wanted and on several occasions had. This however was neither here nor there, the problem was that the sphere in the sky was not the target they thought it was, in fact all they thought they'd known proved to be the reverse. The shadow on the ground was the target, the sphere above its somewhat abstract shadow. This of course meant there was no way that the remaining Evangelion could fight it for as soon as Rei got near it in Unit Zero it would just suck her down into oblivion. Into the 'sea of dirac' as Doctor Akagi had described it.

Misato walked up behind the blue haired youth, her shoes making a dull click on the tarmac.

"Rei?"

"Major Katsuragi." Rei replied, but did not turn around. Which for a response did not surprise Misato, as she had expected something along those lines. She nodded, although Rei couldn't of course see that, and glanced over her shoulder at the board covered in Ritsuko's supposedly 'neat' scrawl.

"Do you understand that Rei?"

"Yes."

"Then... what exactly does it say?"

"The Angel uses an inverted AT-Field, Doctor Akagi seems to think that the 'hypothetical' link in the AT-Field that makes the Angel's 'shadow' open and close can be triggered by the Evangelion's AT-Fields. I believe she is coming up with an idea as to how utilise that knowledge over there." Rei pointed to a warehouse in the middle distance.

"Mmmm." Misato said somewhat dubiously, "Perhaps I'll find out what's going on."

"I would like to see Pilot Sohryu if that is possible."

"Huh?" Misato didn't seem to be paying attention, her gaze fixed on the building in the distance. "Oh of course Rei, I believe she's out of observation now. So you can go in and see her, she's in room thirteen." Rei nodded her thanks, turned and left to find the Pilot of Evangelion Unit Two; Misato marched off in the direction of the warehouse and Ritsuko.

Ritsuko was busy talking on a phone, frantically as it happened, with someone at the other end.

"Yes I..." She began agitatedly, "I know that _SIR_, but this was not factorised at any given point in either variation on the scenarios essentially we're flying blind." Ritsuko dragged a hand raggedly through her hair, the fingers inadvertently bringing out several long hairs with them which floated gently to the ground or were caught on the breeze. Three wafted through the air and attached themselves to the left lapel of Misato's red flight jacket. She plucked them off and with a flick of the fingers sent them on their way before standing a good ten paces behind her college friend and, folding her arms across her chest she waited for her to finish.

"Yes." Ritsuko nodded, "Yes of course that's an option but we really don't have the time to search for one now surely? The committee would... -No absolutely not." Ritsuko's face hardened, a slight wince giving indication of some kind of rebuttal. "That plan is only viable with two Evangelions though and we only have one, and one pilot." Ritsuko listened intently, "Oh yes, leave the mess with me why don't you! Mmhmm... pff, right." She scoffed, "I am well aware of the importance of recovering Evangelion Unit 01, I'll do my best, we'll try and go with that plan then. I'll rendezvous with my team at the southern airstrip and contact NERV 02 straight away." Misato's eyes widened, again the subterfuge of NERV for it had to be Commander Ikari on the line even given Ritsuko's... curiously unprofessional manner of talking. There was a long pause, Ritsuko eventually nodded before sighing. "Understood Commander." Confirmation... "Then I assume I can leave the acquisition of the next spare in your hands? Mmm, Marduke yes, of course. Goodbye."

Ritsuko hung up and turned around to face the frosty looking major, "Business or pleasure?" Misato asked coldly.

"Huh?"

"Business or pleasure - your phone call."

"Oh, that." Ritsuko replied slightly flustered, "Business of course."

"Good because Shinji is trapped inside the Angel and I want to know how you plan to get him out."

"Um." Ritsuko swallowed, "There is a plan."

"Perhaps you could give me the details then as I do happen to be Director of Operations I would have thought it was pertinent I knew."

"Naturally Misato, naturally. How much do you know about the situation?"

_Not nearly as much as you do it seems... _"I know it has something to do with generating an AT-Field to activate the Angel in some way."

"Almost correct, the inverted AT-Field holds what could essentially be a whole other universe for all we know. Generating an AT-Field through the use of two or more Evangelions we plan to access the Angel's interior."

"We don't have 'two or more' Evangelions, we don't even have two pilots." Misato tapped her foot impatiently.

"We will have two Evangelions. Units 01 and 02 may be lost at the moment, and Unit 04 is still waiting vital parts before it is tested but, though Evangelion Unit 03 is not complete it should be able to generate an AT-Field. We're going to have it flown in from America ASAP."

"What about the pilot? Asuka can't possibly pilot it."

"Correct." Asuka had a severe concussion and in no situation would it be advisable to place a pilot with what was essentially a damaged brain into an Evangelion and even more worryingly an untested Evangelion. "The Marduke Institute is going to be sending us a pilot they just found."

"It didn't sound like that to me." Ritsuko ignored her, "So we're to have a new pilot, what's their name?"

"That... has yet to be revealed by the Institute." Misato blinked, then sniggered, then began to laugh. "What's so damned funny?" The Doctor demanded.

"You don't even know who it IS yet." Misato roared, "Can you tell me anything? Where they're from? What school do they go to? What sex they are? Come on Doctor you've got to know that(!)"

"The identity of the pilot has yet to be revealed Major." Ritsuko growled, low in her throat. "The pilot - whosoever they are, will arrive within three hours, be suited up within a further one and the plan will be implemented in approximately three hours there after."

"So how do you plan to kill the target?"

Ritsuko shifted somewhat uneasily. "The plan is that we open the way and then eliminate the sea of dirac, by dropping incendiary devices into it."

"Incendiary devices?" Misato's brow curved downwards. "What kind of incendiary devices?"

"N2 mines."

"N2 MINES!" Misato yelled, "Mines plural? How many exactly?"

"Eradicating a dirac sea of that size thus eliminating the Angel would take approximately nine-hundred and ninety-two N2 mines. Essentially every single one on the planet dropped into it and exploded simultaneously. If that's done correctly there's a chance we could destroy the Angel and dirac sea that makes up its centre."

Misato stepped back aghast. "But the damage to EVA would be... Shinji wouldn't ah- _What in the hell kind of rescue operation is this!"_

"Our priority is to get the Evangelions back, even if they have to be destroyed in the process."

Misato began to shake violently with rage, "Evangelions... Unit One you mean."

"Hey don't go blaming me Misato, it's not my responsibility if Shinji's lost it's yours in case you've forgotten that."

"Then why are you and Commander Ikari so concerned about recovering Unit One?" Misato demanded, grabbed a handful of the Doctor's lab coat in her left hand and brought her to look directly into her raging eyes. "WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT?"

"You've been given all the information Major."

"Bullshit."

"Under these conditions the Pilots life is irrelevant."

"Irrelevant? IRRELEVANT?" Misato screamed a feral cry and punched her friend as hard as she could. Ritsuko crumpled to the floor, "You want the damned operation you can have it, I'm going to check on Asuka."

"Misato just trust me..." Misato didn't even pause as she walked off.

**_(In The Belly Of The Beast)_**

So here he was. Again

How Shinji came to be piloting again after being stripped of his privileges he wasn't quite sure. However it did seem that literally an hour after Misato had informed him he was once again to pilot - something he'd responded to as apathetically as she'd expected - he was being called out by Angel Attack alarms. Where was his Father anyway? He wasn't in Headquarters...

Shinji's eyelids flickered; the LCL caused them to itch after long periods of time but even more right now for some reason.

"I never thought doing nothing could be so exhausting." He sighed, before flicking the switch on his controls that would initiate all external feedback into the entry plug. A shimmering noise flowed through the liquid around him, as the three hundred and sixty degree display burst into life.

_Ssshh-kkk-rrrisssshhhhhhhhhkaaaahhhhh..._

And gave him a bunch of radio static and, save for the form of Unit 02 his own unit was holding in what could only be described as a death hug there was absolutely nothing on the screen.

"Still nothing." He really couldn't believe it, "Just white noise, no radar readings or solar reflections... is that even possible?" He flicked the switch off and the image died away, glancing at his left wrist a digital display that was part of his plug suit glove showed a readout of 12:03:46 underneath which was blazoned the word 'UNLOCK' which he chose not to do. The Evangelion would remain on minimum life-support lock; it was after all his only chance. He sniffed, he could smell something but he couldn't make out what it was. Of course sniffing didn't actually do anything as the LCL which 'transported' the particles were flowing through his entire respiratory system.

"Twelve hours." He muttered to no-one in particular. "Which means my life will end in four or five." He laughed bitterly as his stomach growled unhappily. "And I'm hungry, what a way to go."

He closed his eyes and drifted off into a restless sleep.

**_(One Small Cog, One Big Machine)_**

Chiba Kimio was an evil man, oh he knew that alright. What was not that well known about him was that he was also a member of the Committee which oversaw the running of NERV which were in turn members of the secret global organisation known simply as SEELE. Not that anyone besides other four principle members of SEELE knew he was a member of SEELE, them and of course the Commander and Vice-Commander of NERV. What they didn't know was that he was actually _second_ in command of SEELE after Keel. He was SEELE 02.

He had worked in Russia for many years, acting as the groups eyes and ears and on occasions as the groups assassin. Kimio was not afraid to get his hands dirty when it came to his work. This prediction had seen him rise rapidly and stealthily throught the ranks of SEELE, Keel always liked rewarding success - almost as much as he reveled in dispensing punishment for failure. Kimio had overseen some work for AMOS, a subsidiary of the then Gehern organisation and some of his contacts from those times still provided the occasional titbit of information to this day.

After his graduation to more a more senior role, some five months before Second Impact he was employed in the construction and implementation of the Marduke Institute - a shadow organisation. It was an advisory board acting under the Human Instrumentality Commission existing only on paper that was tasked with 'finding' the pilots of the future Evangelions. As it was certain things were already in motion with regards to that, however as a result he was if anybody cared and survived long enough to look he was on the board of one hundred and eight dummy companies of which twenty he was actually the president.

Currently though he was not just acting as the Marduke institute he quite truthfully was the Marduke Institute. He had been sent under emergency measures to fetch one of the other potentials who would become the next pilot, a pilot who should not be chosen yet! He scowled menacingly as he trudged through the flotsam of Tokyo-3 society flanked as he was by three Section 2 special agents and flicked over the names of the so-called prime candidates. There were four.

He glanced over their personal histories, for only fourteen year olds Section 2 knew a lot about them. There was of course the one statistic that was always the same.

Mother: Deceased.

He entered section 12 Alpha of Geoshelter 334, known by the codename NEST in SEELE and glanced over his roster. He began putting faces to pictures and under his knowledgeable gaze he began the task of choosing. He was just about to choose one who fitted the bill when he suddenly spotted someone next to them.

It couldn't be... they reminded him so much of her.

After all these years, he hadn't thought of that girl and yet now for some reason... it must be her child. It had the same spark of life in its eyes. He looked through his clipboarded notes and found the relevant record, he didn't recognise the surname or the name of the father but there it was in official black type in brackets after 'Mother: Deceased' It was her child! There was something else too, something attached to that sheet that wasn't to the others.

It was a NERV personnel form.

That in itself wasn't unusual; many potentials had fathers (mostly) who worked in some capacity for NERV the difference with this additional one was that it was both active and was marked for level eight clearance. That meant they were a high ranking member of the organisation. He peeled back the covering and revealed the details and was so taken aback he nearly laughed. It was him! _HIM! _The brother, oh, how precious would this be that he who cost him so much would turn out to be the child's uncle! He tightened his right hand into a fist, yes, that would be ironic enough a revenge for him that he should bring fear and pain to that scum who cost him the woman he loved. Cause him agony through his beloved sister's offspring.

He walked over to a gaggle of schoolchildren and stood before them, he pointed his finger at his choice. "You, come with us."

Genocide, mass murder, assassination, the torment and/or manipulation of a schoolchild, it was all much of a muchness to him; for Chiba Kimio was an evil man, oh he knew that alright...

**_(The Smell of Death)_**

Shinji's sleep was not pleasant, it was one of those times where they eyes are closed and the body is exhausted but the brain is still too active for you to really 'drop off'. Shinji shifted uncomfortably and sniffed again, twice, something wasn't right and as his eyes forced themselves open the itchiness become a dozen times worse than usual he pawed at his eyes with the back of his fists trying to get it to clear and blinking frantically. When he opened them fully at last he became aware of something, he could see something inside the LCL.

"The water is getting cloudy!" His hand moved through a cloud of impurity and the movement dispelled it in all directions. He began to panic, "The purification system is breaking do-uggghhnght!" Shinji gagged as the LCL suddenly became very cloudy indeed, he brought his hand up to his mouth to stop dispelling his breakfast into the LCL as well. "It smells in here...blood... _**THIS PLACE SMELLS LIKE BLOOD!**"_

Shinji screamed in realisation of what it was that was disturbing him, the smell, the texture; it was like he was sitting in a vat of orange blood. He bolted out of his seat and leapt at the door above him, hammering on it desperately.

"Aghugh! I hate this place! Why can't I open this lock?" He demanded, trying to force the plug hatch open a look of utter fear in his young eyes. "Open up, lemmie out! MISATO! Tell me what's going on, Misato!" He yelped in fright in the direction of the dead video screen but no response came. "Asuka! Ayanami! Ritsuko!" He tried, before collapsing to his knees as the intolerable stench became somehow even worse.

"Please." He sobbed, "S-Someone help me..."

_**(A Choice)**_

"I cannot say I am not surprised by your decision."

"Yes." The Pilot of Evangelion Unit 03 said, "Let me just get this straight though, I won't need to do any actual fighting in this thing?"

"That is correct." A window popped up from seemingly nowhere making the new pilot yelp in surprise. "All we need for you to do is synchronise with the Eva, just to get it active and generate an AT field. That's the protective field it and the Angels can create." The surprise making Doctor Akagi explained.

The pilot laughed nervously and looked to the First Child for assistance, "Open your mind to it."

"It has a mind?"

"Despite what others might think yes." Asuka smirked at Rei's dig; there would have been a time not so long ago when she'd have quite happily ripped the girl's head off for such a comment. "That's all we need you to do, open your mind and the Eva should activate."

"We're ready." Lieutenant Hyruga announced, holding his headset earpiece closer to his head as a message came through. "Clamps being released."

The Pilot took a long, deep breath and tried to shake the butterflies, "Come on... let's do it."

"Mine drop in sixty seconds." Maya announced. "Initialising neural connections level 1. Signal received - no rejection."

"Move up to level 3." Ritsuko ordered, twisting a pen between her fingers nervously, trying desperately to avoid eye contact with Misato. As she thought this her cheek began to throb again, _Ow... that woman sure has a right hook._

"Time to rescue Ikari." The Pilot flicked the switch indicated by the laminated manual that had been in the seat beforehand.

"Indeed." Rei nodded subconsciously tightening her grip on the control yolks.

Asuka pursed her lips together eyes focused intently on the image of the twelfth Angel and the two Evangelion units that lay within. We're coming baka.

"Eva is synching!" Aoba called out over his shoulder. "Two percent, five, seven, ten, Absolute Borderline reached!"

"The Eva's activated! Ready on AT-Field being generated, t-minus twenty seconds to minedrop."

**_(The Monster Inside)_**

The suit was giving out.  
That was a bad thing.

The slow beep coming from his wrist, coupled with the steadily weakening red LED that winked in time with his heartbeat signalled that remainder of his time alive was not a matter of minutes but merely a formality before he went on to the real business of being dead. Shinji shivered, not just from the cold now that the heating system had died but from the realisation that this was it. He was never going to see anyone again. Ever.

Ironic that he should die here, in the Evangelion, the most horrible death he could conceive and here it was. Long and slow and alone, stuck in the Evangelion, not killed by an Angel that would be quick - painful most definitely - but quick nonetheless. He was to die through starvation of heat, oxygen and all the other life giving nutrients his body needed. He was to die alone, Asuka was not in Unit 02; he knew that now. He had instinctively grasped the other Eva to his when he realised it had also become trapped so they wouldn't have been separated, after which he had tried contact on every frequency, even the emergency line and blinking the Evangelion's exterior lights in morse code but there was nothing. They must have ejected her plug when they had the opportunity, so he was here, in this thing - the machine he loathed and despised and now this was it.

_I wonder how I will be remembered?_ Shinji thought, _Maybe someone will place a stone for me by mother's grave. I'd like that... to be near her again, at least in spirit if not in body._

He could feel it now, oh yes, he could feel it. His strength was leaving him rapidly, like water going down a plughole he could feel his decent into an empty nothingness. "I hope that Asuka gets another Eva... and Rei succeeds on her own. It is... a... shame. I wanted to play my music with them."

The beeping from the suit ceased, "Cold..." He mumbled crouching down into a foetal position. "So... tired. So very tired, of... everything."

A catherine wheel of purple and brown smashed relentlessly at the small opening it had found in the red prison. It had used this escape route before, it only appeared when the Evangelion wished it and even then she had to do all the work. With the power reserves gone all the beast could do was show her the path and hope for the best.

It was an unusual relationship.

The one thing they had in common, apart from the same physical existence, was their feelings for Shinji. The Eva, born from Adam, was not one to give its loyalties away lightly but through its experiences with Shinji shared through its synchronisation link. As well as the maternal instinct it had partially absorbed from the human soul of Yui Ikari within, it would be damned if it'd let him die now. Yui's soul hammered relentlessly against the hole, chipping away, making it larger and larger. If she got through - got out then the rolls would be reversed; at least for a time. With her soul dominant power was not a problem, the Evangelion would be truly alive and not a motorised marionette. It was temporary, as neither was strong enough to be able to make it a permanent fifty-fifty relationship, but it had been done once before and now all it needed was to be done again.

She suddenly became aware of a presence; for a moment she thought it was her previous visitor. The being on the cross inside central dogma, the blue and the white - Lillith. However, she was rather disenchanted to find that it was something or someone else. The crucible of red suddenly rocked back as though someone had scooped a hand underneath, a tired growl more of petulance than anything came from the soul stuff of the Eva. Yui's presence shrank back away from the hole as she felt something looking her over as though she was some lab rat or microscopic creature that required scientific study.

_So. _A voice came through the haze; _You are the one who resides in this shell of the father. Curious, you are not as I expected to find you._

_I'm sorry to disappoint. _Thought Yui bitterly._ What is it you want?_

_To rejoin the father of course._

The Angel took a form resembling a large black eye which hovered just beyond the gap, peering inwards as a child would look through a kaleidoscope to the random assortment of colours within.

_Who are you?_

_None of your concern Leiliel._

_Ah, so you know who I am._

_You will not succeed._

_Perhaps. Then again I possess within myself, within this sea of dirac as your scientist woman has so eloquently put it the so called strongest member of your race._ The Angel chuckled, _He is weak._

_He is stronger than you know._

_So you say, but your opinion is rather biased. His own father has disowned him has he not?_ Images were brought forth, flashes of the past and of the present. Snippets of Shinji with his teacher, all alone of an evening trying desperately to master a piece on his cello. Of Gendo with his cold hard stare, of him with that... that hag of a hag's daughter Akagi. The odd thing was that Leiliel did not bring up the images to taunt her, for some reason the Angel did not recognise the identity of her soul, then again the other angels were not as au fait with human psychology as Lillith was.

Yui growled menacingly, long since having learned aggression is the only way to force out an Angel in these circumstances. _He is stronger than you know._

_Like I said, your opinion is biased._

_That is also the opinion of the Mother. _Yui's mind spat, taking great satisfaction as the Angel seemed to shake in disbelief only for it to laugh ominously.

_She has been known to be wrong about a great many things, this I believe is one of them for your saviour is dying as we speak._

"So... tired. So very tired, of... everything."

_Shinji?_

_Ah yes, weak. Tired. Dead. Gone. Oh well, never mind - plenty more fish in the sea of dirac as they say, were you close at all?_

_I'm his mother. _Yui replied coldly and charged the gap, Leiliel shrank back away from the hole in terror, the Angel knowing full well it was about to feel a mother's wrath.

_Ah..._

_**(Shock & Awe)**_

Ritsuko was about to give a go for the mine drop when something happened which changed everything. The surface of the shadow seemed to crack violently thrusting a shard of it up into the air then after a moments pause the crack zigzagged violently down the surface of the angel revealing bloody red beneath the shattered surface.

Asuka who was watching from the portable command centre, gasped as the Angel seemed to writhe in pain, it shattered surface rose and fell like the waves of a stormy sea. "What the hell is that?"

Every single alarm system in the command centre exploded into life, alarms and claxons whooped and whistled and red light flickered over every display and readout. "What's going on?" Misato demanded, Makoto Hyruga flicked switches frantically.

"We don't know!"

Maya glanced up at Doctor Akagi, "All our metres and gauges have gone off the scale!"

"But we haven't done anything yet!"

Misato grasped her by the shoulder, "Could it be Shinji?"

"That's impossible." Ritsuko yelled above the cacophony, "Unit One's power level must be at zero!"

A noise similar to the scrunching up of soggy paper could be heard as the shadow, torn asunder by the crack had disappeared and now the sphere in the sky was turning completely black. It warped and undulated as though something was trying to get out of it and then with a fountain of blood a metallic claw burst through its surface. Blood began not just flowing but pouring out of the wound and began pooling in the remains of the street below. The wound widened and an arm could be seen, then a second hand, then a horn, then two white eyes filled with fury.

More breaches appeared in the Angel's surface as pressure was applied and the two arms began pulling the grotesque form out of the Angel. It was like some hideous demonic birth sequence as it swam in the blood of it's foe. It's head fully appeared and Evangelion Unit 01 let out a bestial cry, whether the roar was of victory, satisfaction, anger, agony or ecstasy no one was quite sure but it sent a shiver down the spine of all those who heard it. The other two Evangelions backed away as if frightened by its comrades call, like it was an open challenge they neither wanted to or could possibly acknowledge.

More rips, more tears, and something else could be seen as the gore stained purple mecha dragged itself out of Leiliel.

Asuka backed away from the window a state of utter sickness filling her being, Maya went one stage further and was sick.

"My God." The unusually quiet voice of Evangelion Unit 03's pilot came over the speakers. "Is THAT what I'm piloting?" No one could seem to find the words to answer her question. Eventually though Ritsuko muttered something to herself that only Misato seemed to catch.

"God in heaven... what monster have we made this from?" Misato turned away from her, just in time to see the Eva burst out of the Angel as its body finally surrendered to the pressure and forces being exerted on it and it literally exploded in a shockwave full of bits of sticky black flesh, concrete (presumably from the buildings it had swallowed) and blood. Evangelion Unit One crashed down onto the street, its own shockwave throwing up once more the debris that had landed and shattering every window for sixteen blocks. It stood proud and grizzly, bathed in the blood of the fallen and with Asuka's Unit 02 held maiden like across its outstretched arms. The look on its face was horrific, it was the devil himself and the devil was satisfied with its afternoon's work.

The sun rose and the light washed over Unit 01, it had once again gone berserk - moving without the power it supposedly needed. Asuka hadn't seen it happen before, oh she'd seen the surveillance tapes of the first battle against Saschiel but those had been heavily edited by the security service.

How much of what she'd just seen was Shinji and how much of that was the Evangelion?

She wasn't sure which option scared her the most...

_**(The Reasons We Do What We Do)**_

The pilot of what constituted Evangelion Unit 03 shrugged and turned away from the silver machine, for just a second it seemed at the moment when pilot and Eva synched - the 'absolute borderline', that the titanic form was... well... disappointed. As though the Eva was full of sorrow on the one hand and yet frowning scornfully in the other. Whatever the case it was done, the cranes, jacks and hoists were all being prepared as was the gigantic red crucifix the Evangelion was to be strapped too. The plug suit did nothing to stop the chill running down the pilot's spine.

"Pilot?" A technician enquired softly, tapping the rubber coated left shoulder twice.

"Yes?"

"My name's Maya, I'm to tell you your request has been sanctified."

"I see."

"Would you like to see her?"

"Mmm." Was the reply.

"She's going to go into theatre soon."

"Surgery? So soon."

Maya shifted nervously under the gaze of the latest pilot recruit, "I... understand they are going to try some new techniques developed there that should help her heal more quickly."

"I see."

"I'm sorry; I wish I could tell you more."

The pilot smiled, "That's okay-" The quiet voice paused scrutinising the ID card at the lieutenants waistline. "-Miss Ibuki."

"Maya's fine."

"As you wish."

Maya nodded, and then gestured towards the door. "If you want to follow me Pilot, I'll show you the way.

"Thank you."

The walk through to the hospital facility, located in the 'Cranium' section of NERV was lengthy and the majority of the conversation mute, every so often Maya would make some kind of comment about the relevant sub-section they walked through. The fastest way to here, the best method of getting there, the easiest path to getting the blue hell out of that, etcetera.

"What is the situation with Ikari?"

"He has been recovered from his entry plug; Evangelion Unit 01 is on lockdown." Maya replied evenly, but still failed to conceal her concern for the boy.

"Is he okay?"

"He should regain consciousness soon, though he was briefly awake when they extracted him.

_"Shinji! Shinji? Shinji are you alright?" The hatch door, dented from the inside by Shinji's desperate attempts at escape opened flooding the inside of the entry plug with light. She couldn't see him at first, but then her eyes readjusted themselves. Shinji just laid there and didn't move and at first she feared he was dead, then there was the smallest of small twitches in the face and his pupils contracted. She wasn't sure if she was angry or happy, she wasn't entirely sure of such things anyway when it came to him. She did though what she thought best at the time and through exhaustion and relief collapsed across his body and hugged him to her - just to make sure he was really there. It was then she heard his battered form mumble one sentence._

_"I just wanted to play with them... one more time..."_

Maya sighed long and hard, "I believe the First and Second children are with him now, along with Major Katsuragi."

"The First and Second?"

"Rei and Asuka."

"That explains why Asuka keeps referring to Shinji as 'Third'." The pilot said tapping a finger against a steel railing. "Is it a ranking or something?"

"No, just when the pilots were first discovered by the Marduke Institute. You've already been informed about them I take it?"

"Your Doctor Akagi informed me of the basics yes."

"Sempai did, did she?" Maya pursed her lips thoughtfully. "In actual rankings terms Shinji is the top pilot... Asuka... doesn't know that yet. In that battle Shinji synchronised higher than her, we'll need to run tests, but I'm grateful I'm not the one who has to tell her. I have a strong inkling that she won't be pleased."

"Oh."

"Oh, is right."

"So I am the fourth?"

Lieutenant Ibuki seemed to hesitate mid-step. "Apparently... no."

Before more could be said they burst through the double doors then plastic strip doors into the medical area, a gurney was being wheeled through, a small brown-haired child strapped to it not by belts and buckles but by various tubes, wires and electrodes. A drip stand containing three bags of various fluids, one of which seemed to be blood and another looked spookily like LCL. The little girl was conscious for the most part, although it appeared she had been partly sedated for the trip.

The pilot's breathing stopped at the sight of the trolley before them, Maya reached down and plucked the child's chart off the front of the gurney. On the front of it in big black print was a name.

M.Suzahara.

"I'm no doctor, but this looks good to me." The technician said with as much cheer as she could muster.

"Good." The pilot smiled, "She deserves it."

"May I ask you something?"

The pilot looked up curiously. "Er, mmm-yes."

"Is she why you chose to Pilot?"

"She's important to me."

"Why?" The pilot took half a pace back, caught off guard, "Don't get me wrong we're all glad you did it's just your uncle can't understand why you chose to pilot and to be honest neither can I. You know most of what the others go through, at least Asuka and Shinji and Shinji... keeps a lot in."

The pilot sighed sadly, "That sounds like him."

"The Eva series..." Maya closed her eyes, and the chart. "It's a curse and I want to understand why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"No." The pilot insisted, "I really don't think you would."

Maya rolled her eyes, "Then tell me anyway and leave me in a confused mess."

"I did it for justice. Justice for another, for the love he holds for her and for the compassion he shows her, I mean she isn't even family but-"

"-But what?"

"Anyone who loves that much deserves their wish to come true." That was the only reason the pilot had agreed, there was much paperwork for a pilot when they agreed to work for NERV. The one that was the most important (to them anyway) was form 45-8/123A known... affectionately as the 'Green Form' which granted a special wish for the pilot. It was a one-off privilege and money was no object, the new recruit had used theirs from the off for more personal reasons.

"This would be her brother wouldn't it?" The pilot nodded, looking embarrassed by the admission.

"It's not just that though."

"Oh?"

"No... I did it for the love, which I hold for him."

Maya smiled, it wasn't a sad smile or a smile of pity it was a smile of understanding and the Pilot realised the misjudgement she'd made of the technician. The little girl stirred slightly and looked at the Pilot; with all the tubes in her arms she couldn't rub her eyes properly so she turned her head to rub it against the pillow a couple of times.

She blinked, "Pigtails? You must be the one my brother keeps going on about." Her words slurred as the medication kicked back in making Mari drowsy. "I'm sleepy." She grumbled.

"Then go back to sleep sweetheart." Maya pushed a stray lock of hair out of the girl's face.

"Okay Miss." The girl yawned and then looked back at the Pilot as she was being wheeled away. "Mmmm, Touji's right. You do look like an angel."

Maya giggled as the Pilot turned beetroot red, before turning on her heel and walking away.

"I'll see you later Miss Ibuki, say hello to my uncle for me."

"Certainly and have a nice morning Pilot Horaki."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Please review! So who is the mysterious uncle? In the next part: A Marduke Minority Report, an explanation as to Pilot Horaki's designation. Who protects who? Relationship changes and preperations for the arrival of Evangelion Unit 04 not to mention what's being done with Unit 03._

**_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**


End file.
